The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, also known as the Fur-bearer Defenders or APFA, was formed in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

in 1944 under the leadership of

Ernest Winch Ernest Edward Winch (March 22, 1879 – January 11, 1957) was a British Columbia politician, trade unionist and socialist. He was a British Columbia NDP, BC Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MLA in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly ...

. The group's original aims were to assist in finding a "more humane" form of trapping wildlife, though in later years they decided to focus on trying to end the fur-trade in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. Recent activities include helping communities investigate illegal/domestic trapping, ending the import of dog and cat fur, and assisting municipalities in coexisting with beavers. The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals began hosting Living With Wildlife conferences for municipal partners in 2011. The 2012 event, held in Toronto, Ontario, was deemed a success by various attendants. The 2013 Living With Wildlife conference took place in Vancouver, BC, on September 20. Audio, video and photos from the event are available online. In October, 2013, APFA launched ''Defender Radio'', a weekly podcast focusing on wildlife, the fur industry, animal advocacy and the science involved.

References

External links

*{{official, http://furbearerdefenders.com/ Animal welfare organizations based in Canada Animal rights organizations Organizations established in 1944