1. Animal welfare organisations
Module 14
Animal welfare organisations

2. Learning objectives
Understand the aims of animal welfare organisations
Be aware of the roles they can perform
Understand the links between animal welfare organisations and other bodies

3. Summary of content Aims and role of animal welfare organisations
Selection and training of people working with animals
Links between animal welfare organisations, vets and governments
Role of animal welfare organisations in society

4. Animal welfare organisation aims and objectives - 1
Should be clearly stated
Should be easily available to the public
For example, through publications, on a website
Overall ‘mission statement’ and subsequent policies on specific issues are useful
Animal welfare organisations should have clear, carefully considered objectives. These need to come from a logical moral position. It may be helpful to take into account an idea of what is achievable.
Many animal welfare organisations publish their policies. Publications should highlight the main areas of concern, and all communications should follow the main aims and objectives. These could also be stated in all publications.
A mission statement should be easily identifiable by the public and may serve to remind both staff and public of the final objectives. Specific policy statements may include statements about current topical issues, as well as main areas of concern and the main focus areas of the organisation.
A good mission statement should accurately explain why an organisation exists and what it hopes to achieve in the future. It articulates the organisation’s essential nature, its values, and its work.

5. Animal welfare organisation aims and objectives - 2
Should have a clear idea on how to achieve objectives
May include a number of different strategies
Realistic targets - either final or interim, are useful
Animal welfare organisations work in a variety of ways.
Some are practical – they may provide veterinary care, deal with stray/unwanted animals, and provide sanctuaries.
Some organisations principally campaign and lobby for change. These may be specific changes in the law, changes in society attitudes, etc.
Whatever the emphasis, it is important that societies have a variety of clearly defined strategies, with specific targets which can be achieved.

6. Funding of animal welfare organisations - 1
May be via a variety of means
Donations from individuals
Donations/sponsorship from industry
Government grants
Revenue from profit making parts of organisation, such as sale of merchandise
May be in the form of gifts in kind
Donations from grant-making trusts/bodies
Donations usually require some form of expenditure in order to obtain the maximum amount of money - for example, publicity campaigns for donations, or collection boxes. Smaller organisations may use volunteer time extensively for this - thereby reducing costs.
Availability of government grants or grants from other organisations will vary for each country. Where this is commonplace people may be employed in an organisation specifically to apply for such grants.
Selling merchandise will provide publicity for the organisation in addition to revenue. This requires an expenditure of money to buy merchandise initially and may involve some risk.
Practical gifts can be an extremely important part of animal welfare funding and could range from scientific equipment to volunteer time.

7. Funding of animal welfare organisations - 2
Source of revenue should not influence policy decisions
Accounts should be transparent
Accounts should be easily available
The policy decisions of an animal welfare organisation should not be influenced by the source of donations, whether from the public, industry or government. It is vital for the integrity of the organisation that policy influence can NOT be bought. The organisation should also BE SEEN to be detached from its source of funding.
Honest accounting practices should apply and BE SEEN to apply.

8. Role of animal welfare organisations within the community
Education – formal and public
Campaigning
Lobbying
Animal protection
Animal welfare organisations influence society in a number of ways:
Education – This may be formal, by producing educational resources for teachers and students through the established educational system’s curriculum. Informal education includes leaflets, booklets, posters, etc. aimed at the general public, or sections of the public.
Campaigns – Targeted campaigns using the media. These campaigns should influence public opinion in order to achieve social, commercial or legislative goals.
Lobbying – Using accurate, science-based information to influence policy makers, especially in the commercial and political arenas.
Animal protection – Direct protection of animals, such as rescuing abused animals and rehoming strays or unwanted animals.

9. Education Should reflect the organisation’s policies
May require considerable preparation
May be to a wide range of audiences, e.g.
School pupils
College students
Animal owners
General public
Veterinary surgeons
Educational resources that are produced and used should be relevant to the organisation’s objectives. These objectives should be clear from the start so that the audience has a clear understanding of underlying motives. The audience for particular types of education should be chosen keeping the relevance of the material in mind, and also taking into account the objectives of the organisation.
If the materials are intended to be part of the formal educational system, it is important that these materials fit into the existing curriculum, if any. (Many countries have a formal national curriculum.)
Education is a long-term activity which may take years to bear fruit. Resources should make the ‘learners’ aware of the needs and welfare requirements of animals. Audiences to be educated vary widely, and the material should be tailored in order to interest and stimulate each audience.

10. Education May use a variety of means, e.g.
Educational resource materials
Posters /leaflets
Videos/CD ROMs
Media advertisements
Speakers/workshops
Sponsored events
Delivery method should reflect anticipated audience
The method of education will depend on the effect required and the money available. For example - TV advertisements are very expensive but can reach a wide cross section of the general public. Targeting specific audiences is possible using specific methods, e.g. vets may be targeted via vet journals, at vet conferences or by visiting vet surgeries.
Awareness of the requirements of the audience is essential. For example, newspaper advertisements will not provide information to illiterate people.

11. Delivering education
There are many ways of delivering educational messages, these include lectures/talks, practical training, advertising and public education.

12. Education
May achieve a better response to education methods if aware of audience concerns
Monitoring outcomes of educational methods is useful
Evaluation/ feedback of education programmes
Measuring changes in public attitudes
The ability to target the specific concerns of the audience will allow a more productive use of time. Preparation is a key component of any educational resource, whether written or verbal. This will ensure that research has been carried out to provide a good knowledge of the intended audience. Focusing on contentious issues, whilst also stressing the areas of agreement, will give a balanced educational programme.
Assessment of the value of a particular educational programme will give an indication of the effective use of resources. The monitoring process may involve an initial outlay of money but could prove cost-effective. The method of monitoring will vary depending on audience and outcome targets.

13. Animal Protection
May be involved in direct intervention in cases of animal cruelty
May seize animal
May treat or euthanise animal
May contact relevant authorities in cases of animal cruelty
Police
Government animal welfare officials
Some animal welfare organisations are involved in direct action to prevent animal suffering. This could be both within and outside the law. Lawful activities may include taking wild animals to a rescue shelter, persuading owners to sign over ownership of an animal to the organisation to care for it and employing vets who may be involved in treating or euthanasing animals that are suffering. The legal status of animals and of the organisation involved will determine what can be done within the law directly.
The animal welfare organisation may have to rely on outside agencies to prevent animal suffering. This is only likely to be effective in cases where the law has been broken by an owner. It is important for the organisation to have a good working relationship with the agencies involved. This varies from country to country, but could be, for example, the police or government animal welfare officials.

14. Animal Protection
Projects/campaigns may have a direct effect on a community
For example, reducing the stray dog population may improve both human and animal welfare
An animal welfare organisation can have a direct effect on the local community through welfare work. For example, the primary aim of a stray dog control programme may be to reduce the poor welfare of these dogs, but indirectly the human population will benefit from this through reduction of zoonoses, dog bites and level of nuisance.
WSPA has been involved in stray control programmes in many parts of the world. It works closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the relevant government and animal welfare organisations of the countries concerned. WSPA programmes include the following elements: -
Legislation
Registration and identification
Neutering
Humane education

15. Engaging the public Animal welfare organisations may do this through:
Public awareness campaigns
Information and advice
Providing paid employment
Making use of volunteers
The animal welfare organisations may be involved in communities through their campaigns, programmes, volunteering, fundraising and selling of merchandise. One way of allowing members of the public to feel part of the organisation might be to institute an ‘adopt-an-animal’ scheme. Members of the public can pay a specific amount of money to ‘adopt’ a specific animal. They then receive updates on the progress of ‘their’ animal. Some organisations provide advice on animal care, or public services such as veterinary clinics, animal rescues and animal shelters.
An organisation may employ a number of people. These could be local and they may be specifically trained in animal health, or they could be administrative staff.
A key part of many animal welfare organisations is the work done by volunteers. These people may have a variety of levels of expertise and can be used in any post within the organisation.

16. Influencing policy makers
Provide information and advice to important organisations including governments
Campaigning and lobbying
Comment on proposed legislation
Suggest future legislation
Often animal welfare organisations have specific knowledge of certain issues that can be very useful to governments or non-governmental organisations. They may be the only source of this knowledge.
The ability to provide both practical and ethical input into the law-making process can have a wide influence.
Animal welfare organisations may want to be proactive in driving the law-making process by proposing legislation for the future. This will probably be most effective if lawyers or individuals with a thorough knowledge of the legal system are involved in this activity.

17. Training programmes WSPA – Humane stray animal control
Animal welfare organisations may provide training in a variety of ways:
Practical animal handling courses
Veterinary courses
Workshops/training courses for specific skills, e.g. campaign workshops, fundraising workshops, administration courses, speaker training courses
Training courses may be organised for a variety of practical animal welfare issues. For instance, WSPA runs humane stray control programmes in many parts of the world. These courses involve working with local and national governments, professional bodies, veterinarians and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Other organisations run courses on different practical animal welfare subjects, including responsible pet care.
WSPA – Humane stray animal control

18. Practical animal handling
WSPA’s programme in Crete involves working with owners of donkeys and mules to abandon the practice of hobbling animals (by tying their legs together), and to adopt head collars instead. This programme provides immediate benefits to the animals and long-term benefits to the humans (healthier animals provide better service).
WSPA – Hobbling project in Crete

19. Veterinary training
WSPA – Neutering workshop in Sri Lanka

20. Training courses/workshops
May range from short seminars to university-type courses
Length and intensity dependent on final requirements
Requires competent/experienced teachers
Courses should be validated to be useful
Many of the larger animal welfare organisations run a variety of courses. These vary from short courses on specific subjects, such as fundraising and media training, to more comprehensive programmes, such as humane education courses.
Some organisations sponsor candidates to undertake full-time education courses in animal welfare at college or university level.

21. Training outcomes
Students should be aware of animal welfare and animal needs
Students should be able to provide high levels of animal care
Students may be able to pass on their animal welfare knowledge and attitudes to others
Students should gain an understanding of animal welfare by the end of the course. Ideally the course should produce high levels of attainment in animal care with specific needs of the animals and students being addressed. A very general course may not result in such a good outcome.
The students may return to work with other people also involved in animal care. If the students pass on some of their knowledge then the course will have a much wider reach. This is why it is always best to ‘train the trainers’ – i.e. to train or educate people who will then go on to teach others. This can prove cost-effective and is the best use of limited resources.

22. Working relationship with the veterinary profession - 1
Animal welfare organisations may provide information for vets
Animal welfare organisations may try to campaign to change veterinary attitudes/procedures
Individual vets or the profession as a whole can benefit from the specialised knowledge of animal welfare organisations. For example, the animal welfare organisation may provide career opportunities for vets, or may help to promote good public relations for the veterinary profession through its campaigns. Animal welfare organisations may also fund research into animal welfare related areas such as the use of analgesia, husbandry techniques, veterinary attitudes, stray populations, etc.
Animal welfare organisations may also campaign to try and change veterinary attitudes and procedures, such as:
Campaigns for early neutering of cats /dogs
Campaigns against common animal mutilations such as tail-docking
The veterinarians targeted should look at these campaigns impartially and engage in dialogue with the animal welfare organisation about their aims and objectives. If, after this process, the veterinarian is convinced of the validity of the campaign aims then they can adopt these practices themselves, and also educate other vets to improve their practices.

23. Working relationship with the veterinary profession - 2
Vets may provide information /advice for animal welfare organisations
Vets and animal welfare organisations may work together to improve animal welfare
Veterinary experts (sometimes linked to particular animal welfare organisations) may provide advice on policy issues, individual animal welfare cases, or projects. They may also provide practical expertise, e.g. in neutering clinics.
Animal welfare organisations may use general veterinary research to determine policies or actions, for example, incidence of disease in animal populations.
Sometimes the backing of veterinary organisations gives ‘scientific weight’ to animal welfare campaigns. The UK organisation, Compassion In World Farming (CIWF), organised a special petition for use by veterinary surgeons to add weight to its campaign to end long-distance transport of animals throughout Europe. Veterinary and animal welfare organisations campaigning together can create much more effective animal welfare campaigns.
Veterinary practices are able to promote animal welfare through their clinics, as they can target animal owners easily.

24. Working relationship with the veterinary profession - 3
A good working relationship requires:
Mutual respect
An understanding of the capabilities of each partner
Knowledge of the aims of each partner
Trust in the ability of each partner to carry out requirements
A good working relationship between the veterinary profession and animal welfare organisations will be positive for both parties. For example, if an animal welfare organisation has a positive response to an education campaign about the benefits of neutering, more animals are presented to a vet to perform the operation, thus increasing his income and customers.
In the same way, if the vet performs the surgery efficiently with minimal side effects this may make more owners willing to present their animals for neutering. This will increase the effectiveness of the campaign. Thus, if there is mutual respect and good co-ordination and trust between the parties, they can both benefit.

25. International co-operation and assistance
International animal welfare organisations
Global links between national animal welfare organisations
Collaboration with international government organisations
Veterinary links around the world
Increasingly, the larger animal welfare organisations are working more closely to co-ordinate global/regional campaigns. Large international organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) support smaller organisations around the world both with practical projects as well as campaigns. National and local animal welfare organisations in different countries also work closely with governmental organisations and veterinary bodies. Animal welfare is becoming increasingly important to international bodies including such global organisations as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Office International des Epizooties (OIE).

26. International animal welfare organisations
Have offices and staff in many countries
Necessarily quite large organisations
Usually work with local animal welfare groups/personnel
Usually have global aims for animal welfare
International organisations usually have offices or representatives in several countries. The selection of these offices/representatives is usually for key strategic reasons. Most of the larger organisations are now focusing their work with a view to achieving global aims and objectives.
Increasingly the organisations are employing local people to organise activities in the various countries, whilst developing strategies from a central point.
Providing resources and training to smaller organisations are important aspects of support from international organisations.

27. International animal welfare workshop
An example of international support is WSPA’s Asia Link programme. WSPA expertise has been used to empower groups in south east Asia to be more effective in their campaigns and projects. Workshops and study visits have helped 14 groups from 12 countries to work together to raise awareness of animal welfare in their countries.

28. Links between national animal welfare organisations
May be formalised through specific campaigns or funding collaboration
May be linked by a narrow animal welfare interest, or by a more diverse concern for welfare
Links between organisations can be beneficial to both parties. The type of input may be different from each one, e.g. money, scientific knowledge, local knowledge.
Groups have been brought together to form practical working coalitions. In Europe, Eurogroup for Animal Welfare has worked for twenty years on a wide range of issues of concern to European Union (EU) member states. They co-ordinate political lobbying from all 15 member states to increase pressure for change. Other groups have formed more specific campaign coalitions. For example, CIWF’s European Coalition for Farm Animals has had a major influence on changes to farm animal welfare in the EU. Similarly, the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) has organised a European Coalition to End Animal Experiments.

29. Collaboration with supranational organisations
Can make use of international infrastructure
Can make use of local knowledge
May allow large-scale animal health and welfare projects
Supranational organisations such as the United Nations may have an awareness of very large scale animal welfare problems. They may also have funding to match. For example, they may monitor the spread of diseases such as foot and mouth epidemics. There will often be a particular interest when there is a human health link to animal welfare.
These organisations usually exist with resources and funds from a number of national governments. This allows projects to access the resources of national government organisations which may already have local staff and knowledge.
WSPA has collaborated closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on humane stray control, as rabies control is an important aspect of these programmes. WSPA also has observer status at the United Nations and Council of Europe.
Many animal welfare organisations are now recognised as legitimate partners when international consultations are taking place in relation to new legislation or animal health or control measures.

30. Veterinary links around the world
Sharing professional information will lead to improved animal welfare by promoting best practice and new developments/knowledge
This may be via several methods, e.g.
International veterinary organisations - general or specialised
Conferences and symposia
International journals
Internet forums
The sharing of information and support of colleagues around the world is vital for the profession to progress globally.
Most animal welfare organisations now have websites which provide up-to-date information on their activities. It is now possible to download extremely useful and practical information which can be used freely in most parts of the world.
Official bodies and governments also use websites for discussion and consultation on animal welfare issues.
International veterinary organisations, some species specific, are valuable sources of information and assistance. They allow a free exchange of ideas and knowledge. Conferences, symposia, journals and internet resources aid in this knowledge transfer.

31. Conclusions
Animal welfare organisations must be clear and transparent in all aspects
Animal welfare organisations may have a variety of roles
Positive links between animal welfare organisations, vets and governments will promote animal welfare