ancient Faith
Meets Animal Welfare

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Presented over one million petition signatures to the UK Prime Minister with Save the Asian Elephant

What We Do

Rooted in Faith, Active in Compassion

At Pan-Orthodox Concern for Animals, we believe that the human calling to represent God on earth requires a deep and active responsibility toward all living creatures. While animal suffering is frequently overlooked in modern society, our work highlights the long-standing Christian tradition of mercy and stewardship.

By combining rigorous academic research and seminary-level education with practical advocacy, we translate ancient theological wisdom into modern solutions for animal welfare. We do not simply study the concept of a peaceful creation; we work to secure the legal and ethical protections that bring it closer to reality.

Advocacy & Petition Work

From Thesis to Advocacy: POCA’s Impact in Creation Care and Animal Welfare

Focus: Protecting the integrity of the natural world and its most vulnerable species.

🐘 Asian Elephant Welfare: Partnered with Save the Asian Elephant (STAE) to present a petition of over one million signatures to the UK Prime Minister, calling for an end to the abuse of captive elephants and the promotion of genuine sanctuaries.

🐋 Whale Sentience: Supported international calls to recognize whales as sentient beings with inherent legal rights, including rights to life and migration.

🦁 Importation of Hunting Trophies: Actively campaigned for the Importation of Hunting Trophies Bill to prohibit the movement of hunting trophies into the UK.

🐠 Marine Biodiversity: Promoted the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) to safeguard marine life in international waters.

🦡 Protecting Local Wildlife: Advocated for the banning of the badger cull in the UK in favor of science-based bovine TB control.

🦭 Species Protection: Supported bans on the Canadian seal hunt and the use of harmful pesticides that kill essential pollinators like bees and insects.

Focus: Addressing the ethical and environmental impact of industrial agriculture.

🐖 Cage-Free Farming: Promoted petitions to end the use of cages and crates for all farmed animals.

🐣 Poultry Industry Reform: Campaigned for an end to the killing of male chicks in the egg industry and for protections for chickens bred for meat.

🫛 Plant-Based Advocacy: Published research and lectures regarding the environmental and ethical impacts of animal-based diets, encouraging a reduction in global consumption.

Focus: Changing the laws and practices that govern fashion, research, and sport.

💂 Fashion Ethics: Campaigned to ban animal skins at London Fashion Week and urged the King’s Guard to switch from real fur to faux fur for their ceremonial headwear.

🧪 Animal Testing: Collaborated with the Animal Interfaith Alliance to pressure the government and “Big Pharma” to replace animal testing with modern scientific alternatives.

🐴 Cruel Entertainment: Supported bans on greyhound racing, horse-drawn carriages in Mallorca, and the attendance of children at hunts.

🐘 Legal Advocacy: Provided an Amicus Curia brief to the Non-Human Rights Project to assist in litigation for elephants held in captivity in the USA.

Focus: Equipping the faithful with the knowledge to act.

✝️ Creation Care Course: Developed the “Creation Care: Christian Responsibility Course,” a free eight-lesson program for parishes and seminaries.

📚 Academic Publications: Produced two major volumes on Climate Crisis and Creation Care through Cambridge Scholars Publishing to define the field of Orthodox animal theology.

🌐 Global Webinars: Hosted international theological panels on themes such as “Education on Animals and Creation Care” in collaboration with the Volos Academy.

“P.O.C.A. provides the missing link in our parish education, showing that compassion for animals is a core Christian tradition.”
— Parish Educator

Books & Volumes

Climate Crisis and Sustainable Creaturely Care: Integrated Theology, Governance and Justice by Christina Nellist

We lead the development of Orthodox animal theology through high-level academic publishing. Our major volumes, published by Cambridge Scholars, provide a rigorous systematic framework for understanding the relationship between the Orthodox faith, the climate crisis, and the ethical treatment of all living creatures.

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Creation Care: Christian Responsibility Course

We reached an educational milestone in 2020 when we designed a comprehensive, free eight-lesson curriculum designed for group or individual study. It offers a structured way to explore the often-overlooked Christian tradition of compassion for animals, making these vital teachings accessible to clergy, students, and laity alike.

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Prayers for Animals/Creation

We provide liturgical resources that reflect the Church’s prayerful concern for the natural world. By offering traditional and contemporary prayers for animals and the environment, we help the faithful integrate a spirit of mercy and stewardship into their daily spiritual lives.

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Teachings (Ancient/Modern) & Saints

Our research bridges the gap between the lives of the Saints and modern ethical challenges. We highlight both ancient Patristic voices and modern theologians—such as the late Metropolitan Kallistos Ware—to demonstrate that a deep concern for animal welfare is not a modern addition, but a core element of the Orthodox tradition.

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ancient Faith Meets Animal Welfare