Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Since 1984, Born Free has been challenging the multi-billion pound global zoo industry, raising awareness about the plight of captive wild animals, assessing the status and performance of zoos and exposing malpractice, unjustified claims and the suffering of captive animals. Born Free, through its Zoo Check programme, seeks to: prevent animal suffering; promote and urge improvements and adherence to animal welfare legislation; and influence and encourage an informed change in support away from keeping wild animals in captivity to their protection in the wild.

The Born Free Foundation opposes the use of all animals in circuses, and campaigns, as a priority, to end the use of wild animals in circuses. Believing that even the basic needs of wild animals can never be met by a travelling circus, Born Free continues to campaign for a complete ban on the use of all wild animals from travelling circuses in England, Wales and Scotland. Furthermore, in collaboration with other animal welfare organisations (within the European coalition ENDCAP), Born Free seeks to raise greater awareness to a pan-European audience about the plight of wild animals in circuses in the hope that other European countries will ban the practise.

Since its leading role in the successful campaign ‘Into the Blue’ (1991) to return the UK’s last dolphins to the wild in the Caribbean, the Born Free Foundation has helped maintain the UK as a dophinarium-free zone. Taking this issue to an international stage, Born Free raises awareness about the plight of dolphins and whales in captivity, campaigns against their continued capture from the wild to maintain the captive industry, challenges their use in swim-with activities and Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT), and campaigns for their inclusion in national and international animal welfare legislation.

Millions of individual animals are exploited throughout the world to ‘entertain’ the public: as part of magic or side shows; for traditional spectacles like dancing bears or using monkeys for begging; as live props in tourist souvenir photographs; in bars, clubs and hotels as ‘attractions’; and for advertising, television, and film. Such activities have severe implications for the welfare of animals. Born Free investigates reports received from concerned members of the public and seeks ways to try to prevent animal suffering through working with governments, NGOs¹ and the tourist industry.   

^¹Non Governmental Organisations