The Forum was founded in 2005 by a group of international animal protection leaders, in response to the challenges of an interdependent world which cannot be met by civil society, government, or business alone but requires continuous interaction with peers and the most knowledgeable people in their respective fields.

The Forum therefore was created to provide a platform to explore global strategic issues pertinent to the animal protection world.

The group further recognized the need for the mainstream animal protection organizations to build bridges with other major societal groups to develop its reputation as a significant contributor to solving global and regional problems.