About us

Naturewatch Foundation is a registered charity working to improve the lives of animals.  Our Mission is to end animal cruelty and advance animal welfare standards around the world.  

In order to achieve our aims we:

•    Undertake campaigns to raise public awareness of particular issues and influence public opinion by using all available means. 

•    Carry out political campaigning/lobbying within the UK and EU when it’s deemed to be the best way to support a particular issue upon which we are working, and it either furthers or supports the delivery of our charitable purpose. For example, campaigning for a change in the law where such a change would support the charity’s purpose or campaigning to ensure that existing laws are observed.  Of course, as a charity, we cannot give our overall support to a political party but we may, at times, give our support to specific policies advocated by political parties if it would help achieve the aims of the Foundation.

•    Provide support for the improvement and development of animal welfare standards worldwide, with a particular focus on pioneering projects that directly improve the lives of stray dogs in Eastern Europe.

•    Co-ordinate humane education, police training and public awareness campaigns in order to help raise animal welfare standards in the UK and in Eastern Europe. Through education we can help create a new culture of respect and sensitivity, to make this world a fairer place for all living creatures.

•    Launched the World Animal Day (4 October) initiative in 2003 to unite the animal welfare movement around the globe; raising awareness of animal issues and making them front-page news – a vital catalyst for change!  

Naturewatch Foundation is a registered charity in England (1039679) founded in 1991 by the late John Ruane.

Find out more about our campaigns by clicking here 

A key part of our work revolves around public education to ensure animals are recognised as sentient beings, capable of suffering, in order to ensure that full regard is always paid to their welfare requirements.  In many countries animals are treated little better than a simple commodity, such as a bag of potatoes, making education essential in order to improve their lives.  

From day one we have regularly published a Compassionate Shopping Guide as we are strong believers in encouraging the public to lead a cruelty-free lifestyle through conscious, ethical and cruelty free commerce. This includes rallying consumers to boycott powerful multi-national companies that continue to profit from animal testing.  We also pursue political lobbying to improve animal protection legislation in the UK, EU and in countries where we are working.  

Since 1991, we have developed a wide range of sustainable animal welfare projects in several countries, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe, and today we have a worldwide presence through our World Animal Day projects.   

We do not receive government or corporation funding and so rely entirely upon the generosity of our regular supporters and the general public to continue our work.  All income is used to pursue the goals of the organisation.  We direct our funds responsibly: we keep our administration costs to a minimum, design our own campaign literature, and have no expensive overheads.

Your support is invaluable and is truly appreciated – thank you.