The International Zoophile Humanitarian Bureau, founded in 1928 in Geneva, was a pioneering organization in animal protection. Its headquarters were in the Old Town at Cour Saint-Pierre, and it was established by a London-based animal protection society led by the well-known activist Lizzy Lind af Hageby. Despite its controversial name, the Bureau’s mission was to promote humane treatment and advocate for animal rights. Its creation was a response to the increasing activism surrounding animal welfare in the early 20th century.

A significant aspect of the Bureau’s legacy is its connection to feminism, as many of the earliest advocates for animal rights were women. Lind af Hageby, a feminist and anti-vivisectionist, was instrumental in the fight against animal cruelty. She was also a key figure in England’s anti-vivisection movement and fought against child labor.

Born in Sweden in 1878, Lizzy studied medicine in London and became an outspoken opponent of vivisection, which involved scientific experiments on live animals without anesthesia. Her work in this field led to her 1923 publication, Shambles of Science, and her involvement in the 1906 founding of the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society.

She also delivered a speech at the 1913 International Congress Against Vivisection in Washington, a text that is read is by Romane Golan.