A Second Visit to the United Nations Headquarters
Center provides perspectives on animal and human welfare to the floor.
Talk about putting animal welfare on the map! Since 2022, Helen Woodward Animal Center has been recognized with special consultative status with the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This honor provides the Center with access to a global stage to discuss animal welfare and humane education with policymakers, parliamentarians, academics, foundations, and businesses.
Helen Woodward Animal Center has held speaking engagements all over the world on how to run animal welfare organizations more effectively and efficiently by using proven techniques. In addition to the United States, these are some of the many countries who had representation at our speaking engagements: England, Scotland, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Canada, Mexico, China, Puerto Rico, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Virgin Islands, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic and Poland. All in all, the Center hopes this presence on a global stage helps to inspire a more compassionate world for humans and animals amongst each other.
On January 30, 2024, the Center sent three representatives to the 2024 ECOSOC Partnership Forum held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This meeting covered topics related to “Zero Hunger”, “Climate Action” and “Partnerships for Goals”. Center CEO Mike Arms, accompanied by Vice President of Development Renée Resko and Technology Manager Jacqueline Kelleher, aimed to present the Center’s views and suggestions to the fellow Member States, observers, UN entities, stakeholders and fellow non-governmental organizations that were at the meeting.
A written version of Arms’ delivered remarks is as follows:
Thank you for giving us the floor. Since 1972, Helen Woodward Animal Center, based in San Diego County in the United States, has been committed to the philosophy of people helping animals and animals helping people. As we address 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Helen Woodward Animal Center can provide perspectives on Climate Action.
We want to start with the children of today – the only true way to change tomorrow. Teach compassion for each other and work together to build a better world for all.
In addressing Goal 13 – Climate Action, members must consider the impact of climate change on our animals. Clearly, the population of wildlife and domesticated animals will be hurt by habitat loss. But in addition, there will be impacts on companion animals where their living conditions are impacted, health and disease risks increase – which we are already experiencing in shelters that I speak to- but this will end up having an imminent threat on the quality of life for humans. By focusing on the interconnectedness between the climate and animal welfare, and their connection to improving the quality of life for humans, we can work towards adopting more sustainable practices that benefit the environment and all living species.
Our organization continues to seek out opportunities to educate, advise and inspire communities of states, stakeholders, observers and non-governmental organizations around the world to think critically about their relationship to. Only then will we be able to move forward in the 2030 Agenda when we consider the imperative role that all animals play in our ecosystem.