Global Action Network is a nationally incorporated non-profit organization, dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and action. We believe that animals, the environment, and human welfare are inextricably linked. Simply put, animal abuse and the destruction of our environment has an ultimate consequence - the degradation of the human species. We achieve our mandate through education, grassroots organizing, coalition building, and political networking.Global Action Network works in seven program areas: Sustainable Agriculture, Oceans, Wildlife, Animals in Entertainment, Globalization, Animals in Biomedical Research and Companion Animals.

GAN has already achieved significant victories for animals. In 1998, we cancelled plans to stage a cruel bullfight in Montreal. The following year, we obtained three municipal bylaws prohibiting animal acts in entertainment. In 2001 we stopped plans to build a captive dolphin facility in Quebec.

Currently, Global Action Network is working on several vital campaigns, including:

• countering the heavily subsidized public relations campaign waged by the Canadian fur industry
• achieving legislation banning cetaceans in captivity in Quebec
• establishing bylaws forbidding the use of animals in entertainment in several municipalities
• lobbying for a Quebec animal welfare act, as well as stronger animal protection laws in Canada's Criminal Code
• blocking two factory farms from setting up in rural Quebec communities
• gathering video evidence of criminal code and regulatory violations in Canadian factory farms, slaughterhouses, animal transport, and stockyards for our national campaign
  

Education is the foundation of many of our activities. To this end, GAN provides presentations for schools and universities, and coordinates many public lectures on animal issues. To date, we have organized well attended events by Dr. Neil Barnard (PCRM), Ralph Nader (Green Party), Dr. David Suzuki (Suzuki Foundation), Howard Lyman (Earthsave), Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd Conservation Society), Jeffrey Masson (author, When Elephants Weep), Steve Wise (author, Rattling the Cage), and Ric O'Barry (author, To Free a Dolphin), amongst others.

At present, Global Action Network has a dedicated staff of four, as well as an extensive volunteer base, including communications, legal, political, medical, and veterinary professionals. We rely on government and foundation grants, and contributions from the general public.