Animals in Democracy- DemokraTiere
Through Animals in Democracy, Animal Society is building an international network dedicated to advocating for the political representation of animals. Together with partner organisations, scientists and activists, we are working to raise the profile of animals in democratic processes and to develop institutions that take their interests into account.
The Animals in Democracy initiative, known in Germany as DemokraTiere, was launched in 2022. The aim was to build a strong network that brings together academic expertise, civil society engagement and political practice. Since then, the project has made significant progress: the platforms animalsindemocracy.org and demokratiere.org have been established as initial points of contact to raise awareness of the issue of political representation for animals. Regular workshops, panel discussions and presentations at international conferences help to strengthen the debate on how to better integrate animals into our democracy. Today, the network brings together over 20 experts and several organisations from Europe, Australia and New Zealand – and continues to grow steadily.
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To convince political institutions to take animals and their interests into account.
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To further develop the scientific basis for animal representation.
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To connect NGOs and activists internationally, to inspire discussions and encourage the exchange of ideas.
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To explore funding opportunities for democratic work with and for animals.
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To raise and sustain awareness of ‘democracy and animals’ as a political issue.
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Develop joint strategies for political and institutional reforms.
The Working Group
At the heart of Animals in Democracy is the Working Group. Here, representatives from NGOs, academia and civil society work closely together. At regular meetings, they share experiences, develop joint positions and coordinate campaigns. The group is supported by international partner organisations – a sign that animal policy is no longer a purely national issue, but a global endeavour.
Public Relations & Exchange
As well as fostering internal collaboration, Animals in Democracy also engages with the wider public. Through online presentations, talks and panel discussions, we offer insights into current developments relating to animal democracy and political representation. The range of topics covers everything from the role of government animal welfare officers, to the question of how parliaments might involve animals, right through to visions of a more comprehensive ‘zoo democracy’. Our aim is to make political decision-making processes more inclusive – for a democracy in which the interests of non-human animals are also taken seriously.