Do you want to take action for animals, but you don’t know which organization you belong to? that is why you will find an overview of various action groups that you could join, if you are looking for this. Do you want to know what exactly these organizations stand for? Especially look at which action group you feel comfortable with, and see if you can get to know them sometime. From spring into the deep and register for an action right away! Organize (zoom) meetings for newcomers often, or you can keep an eye on the events via Facebook. Ps. Do you find action too exciting or is it not for you? There are many other ways to help animals! Think of volunteering at a shelter, animal shelter or animal ambulance. Or start your own blog, Instagram or something else to make people aware of the animal suffering behind meat, fish, eggs, dairy, fur, animal testing, hunting or puppy farmers!
Animal Rights stands up for animals living in captivity (such as in livestock farming and laboratory animals), and for animals in the wild and their natural habitat. Through indirect undercover images, research work, peaceful actions and petitions, they inform about the suffering of these animals, create awareness and try to improve the legal position of animals. They are active in the Netherlands and Belgium, and organize events and meetings to understand and make as many people as possible aware. Read here how you can help.
De hunt saboteurs: a special action group of Animal Rights that peacefully demonstrates against hunting. Trekking has been out demonstrating against hunting since 2015. In the weekend they go out to protect wild animals from hunters.
Foto credits: Animal Rights
Activists from the Save Movement assist animals on their way to slaughter by waiting for the transport trucks right in front of the slaughterhouse. Such an action is also called a vigil (= wake). Where possible, they try to give the animals some love and attention for water. They also make photo and video material, with which they give the animals a face and can draw attention to their situation. In this way it becomes more visible, and they encourage consumers to choose with their heart and therefore for a plant-based lifestyle. They have good agreements with some slaughterhouses, which means there is a lot of time and space to get to the animals. The staff ensures that the cattle trucks remain for a few minutes, so that we can make contact with the animals, take photos of them and give them solid water. Not all slaughterhouses want to cooperate, at those locations they stand with signs and flags to draw mandatory attention to the animals.
These are doubly heavy actions, give yourself a lot of rest and space for sadness if you participate in a vigil.
Read here how to participate.
Foto credits: Animal Save Nederland
This international movement is divided into local groups in the Netherlands. Through street activism, they try to make consumers aware of animal suffering. This is done with a proposed ‘Cube of Truth’. In black clothing and an ‘anonymous’ mask, the demonstrators form a square circle and show images of animal suffering. A group of ‘outreachers’ talks to bystanders about the images. In addition to these cubes, they also regularly organize workshops, events and conferences. Find the action groups in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Zwolle, Enschede and Groningen.
Foto credits: Anonymous for the Voiceless
An international organization that also uses video images to show the reality of animals in the meat, egg, dairy and fur industry and in hunting. They use (undercover) images from slaughterhouses and other animal suffering. These images can be experienced as shocking. By showing these images on the street and talking to bystanders, they hope to make people aware of the truth about this delay and inspire them to no longer contribute to it. Read more about the Earthlings Experience here. This organization is currently less active because some of its members have set up the Kind Experience (see below).
This organization was founded from the Earthlings Experience. Instead of showing shocking or even traumatizing images from the industry, they have opted for less graphic, child-friendly images that make the viewer think and also give an idea of a possible plant-based future. By approaching the conversation in a more light-hearted and positive way, the conversation with bystanders is easier to get going. This organization is mainly active in Amsterdam. You can find them here.
Foto credits: The Kind Experience
Bite Back is an animal rights organisation that campaigns for the rights, welfare and interests of animals through non-violent action. Through direct actions and campaigns, they work for the recognition and respect of animal rights and their right to a life free from human exploitation and oppression. Bite Back wants to contribute to a society in which awareness and in particular more conscious consumption can save the lives of animals or at least improve their quality. They also want to prevent animals from being locked up and exploited for ‘entertainment’ (such as in zoos and circuses), from suffering and being killed for scientific experiments, food, clothing, sport, tradition or hunting.
Bite Back sees the fight against speciesism (discrimination based on species) as part of a broader emancipatory movement. Standing up for animal rights and against speciesism also means recognizing and combating the various forms of discrimination and oppression such as sexism, racism, homophobia, as well as all other forms of oppression.
Foto credits: Bite Back
Sluit Vion! is taking action against the largest slaughterhouse in the Netherlands: Vion in Boxtel. They bring the abuses to light, and stand up for the animals, the workers, the residents and the environment (locally and elsewhere). They do this through actions, campaigns and the distribution of flyers and a newspaper.
Vion slaughters around 20,000 pigs every day, as well as cows. Vion uses flex workers, mainly from Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria). They have to do the heavy, dirty and dangerous work, for a minimum wage. Vion causes enormous environmental pollution by raising, transporting and slaughtering animals. According to a 2021 study by New York University, their emissions are 7.5% of the total emissions of the Netherlands! But they only report the slaughtering themselves, which makes their emissions seem much lower on paper. And there is much more wrong with this company. Read more here.
Sluit Vion! is a coalition of citizens and various organizations (Alle Dieren Vrij, Animal Rebellion, Vrije Bond Noord-Brabant, Autonomen Brabant, Earthlings NL and Cage Undefined)
Foto credits: Rachied Fotografie via Sluit Vion
The internationally operating Vegan Strike Group wants to put an end to animal suffering within the entertainment industry. Through peaceful actions, they draw attention to animal suffering in bullfights, dolphin shows, dog racing and equestrian sports. You may have heard of them through their many streak actions during bullfights, the action at Efteling show Raveleijn or actions at the Dolfinarium. Vegan Strike Group was founded by Peter Janssen, also known as the Vegan Streaker for his controversial actions for animal welfare. Don’t worry, you don’t have to take off your clothes to participate in actions! Read more here.
Foto credits: Vegan Strike Group
Stichting Konijn in Nood is committed to rabbits in the Dutch commercial rabbit farming industry through peaceful actions. Currently, there are more than 336 thousand rabbits that suffer in this industry. Konijn in Nood consists entirely of volunteers and is completely independent. They do work together with other animal rights organizations to join forces. The ultimate goal is to realize a legal ban on commercial rabbit breeding, and thus to shut down this industry. They are still looking for volunteers for their information stand to inform passers-by, and also people who want to demonstrate during actions. Register here as a volunteer.
Foto credits: Konijn in Nood
A political party that is not only committed to the short-term interests of the Netherlands, but to all life on this planet. They ensure that animal rights, nature and the environment are higher on the political agenda, but they do much more: from participating in demonstrations and climate marches, organizing lectures, workshops and film nights to litter clean-up actions. The Party for the Animals continues to draw attention to the coherence of current problems such as in the areas of climate, food, economy, energy, animal welfare and biodiversity. They have branches or working groups in every province, and often also per city. Read here how you can participate.
Foto credits: Partij voor de Dieren
Do you have an addition or update for this list?
These are the best known, but certainly not the only action groups for animals! Do you have a good tip or addition? Please let me know. This blog is based solely on my findings and is in no way sponsored or affiliated.
