The history

How was ADDA founded?

In 1975, communication and distribution had its limitations. Internet, fax, did not exist, even video was at in its early stages. An employee of the railway company, Benito de Benito, who lived in Mataró (Barcelona) and an animal lover, had the idea of placing an advertisement in the Barcelona newspapers, requesting citizens interested in animal problems, to get together with a view to exchanging feelings and ideas on the subject. From that group of people attending the meeting, the proposal was presented, given the necessity and existing void, to set up an association, whose sole aim was to defend animals in general.

Under the by-laws’ commitment of “promoting good treatment to all animals”, by attending to their PROTECTION AND DEFENCE in any legal way, without the economic resources, but with the hope and will of its founder members, ADDA set up its first head office in the town of Mataró, later moving to the city of Barcelona, with a branch in Madrid and afterwards expanding to other Spanish cities.

In the year 1981 ADDA was officially declared an entity of “Public Benefit”.

Initial events:

In September 1977, recently legalized, and as a member association of the ISPA (International Society for the Protection of Animals), based in London, it had the opportunity of intervening and voting in favour of the proposed text of the Universal Declaration of Animals’ Rights, finally proclaimed on the 15th October 1978. Since the creation of WSPA, which absorbed ISPA, ADDA figures as one of the founder members.

For more information apply for the publication “30 years’ history defending animals”.

En el mes de septiembre de 1977, recién legalizada ADDA y como entidad miembro de la Sociedad Internacional de Protección de los Animales, WSPA, con sede en Londres, tuvo la oportunidad de intervenir y votar favorablemente a la propuesta de texto de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos del Animal, definitivamente proclamada el 15 de Octubre de 1978. Desde la creación de la Sociedad Mundial para la Protección de los Animales WSPA, que absorbió a la ISPA, el ADDA figuró como uno de los miembros fundadores y mantuvo su presencia hasta su disolución.

Declaración Universal de los Derechos del Animal

Más información ver en nuestra revista: ADDA Defiende los Animales: 30 años de historia defendiendo a los animales