March 12, 2009

BOSTON - The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the world’s largest alliance of animal welfare organizations, has announced Michael Baker as its new director general. Baker will join WSPA at its international headquarters in London this summer when Director General Major General Peter Davies retires. WSPA has 14 regional offices worldwide including one in Boston, Massachusetts.

Baker has dedicated much of his career to animal welfare issues. He is currently the chief executive of The Brooke, a global equine welfare charity and a leading WSPA member society. In addition, he has worked as UK director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare and as chief executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection.
 
 “I am delighted to be taking up this role and having the opportunity to build on Major General Peter Davies’ excellent work,” said Baker. “In a rapidly changing world, WSPA’s mission to work in partnership with and through other animal welfare groups and our impressive links with governments and other sectors combine to give us the strength we need to bring about positive changes that work for animals.”

Internationally, WSPA is the first organization to focus on protecting animals through both disaster relief and disaster risk reduction work. The organization provides immediate assistance to animals in the midst of crises in the developing world and promotes sustainable projects to reduce the impact of destruction in disaster-prone areas. These projects protect animals and subsequently improve community resiliency in the wake of a catastrophe.

Widely viewed as the global expert on humane animal population management, WSPA cooperates with local animal welfare partners, governments and communities to address the root causes of the global stray crisis including education to improve responsible ownership and training on humane methods to control populations including capture, vaccination and sterilization.

Within the United States, WSPA spearheads the Eat Humane campaign which ranks the largest U.S. grocery store chains based on the availability of humanely raised foods on their shelves and provides a free guide to help consumers source humane food.

WSPA USA Executive Director Cecily West said, “I am thrilled to welcome Michael Baker as WSPA’s new director general. He is a pillar in the animal welfare community, and I look forward to sharing in WSPA’s continued achievements under his leadership.” WSPA U.S. partner organizations include the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Through partnership with nearly 1,000 partner organizations worldwide, WSPA strives to create a world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty ends. The organization aims to foster change at both grassroots and governmental levels to benefit animals. For more information on WSPA, please visit www.wspa-international.org.

###

For more information, please contact:
Meryl Bailey, U.S. Communications Officer, WSPA
Tel: (703) 201-0591 / Email: mbailey@wspausa.org