Short history of an old association

SEY has been working to improve the conditions of animals since 1901.

Finnish Society for Welfare of Animals was founded in 1901.
The society was founded during the time Finland was under Russian rule and it was not easy to get a permission to fund an intellectual association.

To be able to establish an association, the concerned citizens camouflaged their animal welfare agenda by starting to promote the use of horse meat. Horses were treated were badly in those days and by talking about the benefits of using horse meat for food the association could also talk about good treatment of animals and animal welfare issues.

In 2001 the association and 37 other animal welfare association around Finland created together a federation. The old name was however not changed then.

In 2007 the name of the federation was officially changed to reflect the federation reality.