“To advance the humane treatment and protection of domestic and wild animals by promoting human understanding, conservation and the prevention of cruelty.”
The Foundation for International Aid to Animals (FIAA) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes humane and responsible treatment and training of domestic animals and advocates natural conservation of wild animals and global biodiversity. We believe that the relationship between people and the domesticated animals closest to them has long been an important part of human culture, and that our connection to nature is strengthened by improving and understanding those bonds.
We also believe that wild animals are integral to the biosphere and to our own connection to the earth, its history and its future, and that wildlife in its natural environments deserves to be protected. Our hope is that our work will help to better the lives of both humans and animals as interdependent inhabitants of our shared and increasingly stressed global environment.
FIAA began in 2001 supporting educational programs, animal rescue and population control in Chile, primarily focusing its work on street dogs and cats, responsible ownership and domestic animal care. FIAA then expanded to include humane and ecological issues involving other domestic animals. From the beginning, FIAA had observed the impact that abandoned domestic animals had on the environment, that feral and roaming domestic animals posed a serious threat to our wildlife through spreading contagious diseases and parasites, and impacting wild species populations through predation.
Today, FIAA is developing projects internationally in partnership with local groups in regions as varied as the Amazon, Pantanal, Sao Paulo (Brazil), Northern Kenya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Mendoza (Argentina), Rapa Nui, Patagonia and different regions of Chile. Our work focuses on domestic animal health issues, sterilization operatives, sanctuaries and wildlife rescue centers. We also work with schools and universities creating talks and seminars on the importance of conservation of biodiversity.
Our organization is 100% volunteer. No member of the board, executive officer or representative receives a salary or fee for their work.
“We have been working on big projects together that have really changed the quality of life of the animals we have here in Mata Ciliar, those in the process of rehabilitation and those that cannot return to nature. We are very happy to participate in this partnership and hope to have FIAA working with us for many more years. We want to thank all the directors and collaborators and friends of FIAA for helping us to make a big dream come true, enlarging perspectives in the conservation of biodiversity.”