The animal welfare movement is remembering the force for nature that was Dr Jane Goodall, who died this week, aged 91. For many of us who live and breathe animal welfare, it seems remarkable that there was a time when we didn’t know non-human primates had the intelligence to use tools, develop social structures, and emotional relationships. Without Dr Goodall, this knowledge wouldn’t have become commonplace.
Dr Goodall provided the compelling foreword to the ‘Animals Manifesto’ launched by World Animal Net – which evolved into what WFA is today. Back then, in October 2020, we were deep in the Covid-19 crisis, with Dr Goodall considering the urgent need to learn from the lessons of the pandemic and ‘change our trajectory for the wellbeing of all’. Her foreword, which can be read here, raised issues beyond our exploitation of animals’ contribution to zoonoses; she spoke of the loss of biodiversity and climate change as further consequences of our disregard for nature.
Dr Goodall’s reach went far beyond the realms of science and animal welfare advocacy. She pioneered a different approach, as one of the first women to lead in this field. Her approachability and warmth made her a household name, and she inspired so many others to pursue careers in conservation, nature, and science.
Today, as we all remember Dr Goodall and her remarkable, groundbreaking contribution to our planet, we have a responsibility to honour her memory and continue to strive for a better world for animals. She called for us in the sector to ‘get together and develop a new relationship with the natural world’, and we at WFA have a duty to honour her wishes.
Collectively, we are much stronger; our voice is louder, so we at WFA will continue to aim to bring us together, to advocate for animal welfare at the highest levels of policy.
Dr Goodall concluded her words saying, “The main difference between us and other animals is our intellect – let us use it now to find a way out of the disastrous mess we have inflicted on the planet.” We can all play a part in building a stronger future for animals and the planet. At WFA, we hope to honour Dr Goodall through our collective, unwavering action, as set out in our Promise last year: together, we are not just envisioning a future – we are actively creating one where the welfare of all living beings is our measure of progress.
Read Dr Jane Goodall’s foreword
Photo credits: We Animals / Jo-Anne McArthur
