Chinese Animal Protection Network

Chinese Animal Protection Network (CAPN) is a non-profit animal protection organization, and the first Chinese network for animal protection. As an organization founded by native Chinese people, at its core, there are some of the most dedicated Chinese activists. CAPN is well known for its pioneering role in the rapid development of the modern animal rights movement in China in recent years. It has led some important trends of the movement: group unity, the growing movement against eating cats and dogs, and converting from emotion-based to science-based animal protection among the animal protection communities.

Since the launching of its first project 'Chinese Companion Animal Protection Network', the network keeps expending and has reached almost every part of China. By April 2008 there were 48 member groups, 2 branches and over ten thousand individual supporters who recognize CAPN's values: using technology, research, education, artistry, and creativity to make the world a better place for all sentient beings.

CAPN is an animal rights group with a science-based philosophy of animal rights. They oppose violence in the animal rights movement and see animal rights as a dynamic concept; they believe the rights of different animals are different because their needs are different. Six keys of their philosophy include:

• unity: animal rights philosophy is a part of universal law
• complexity: everyone has his/her own animal rights view
• evolution: human understanding of animal rights is evolving
• continuity: continuity exists between everything, from humans to animals, from high animal to low animals, difference is not discreet but gradual
• non-violence: people cannot fight unethical behavior with unethical behavior; love and justice can make the difference
• originality: the three pillars of Chinese tradition—Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism—all have teachings regarding respect towards animals.