Abstract
As the increasing body of scientific information about the experiences of other species and their ability to suffer becomes available to those working within the field of animal welfare, the amount of potential issues to address also increases. Carefully choosing issues to address, and indeed leaders to drive the cause forward, has the potential to significantly increase the efficacy of the international animal welfare movement. Within this study 15 leaders of major international animal welfare organizations were interviewed about their experiences, thoughts and strategies, which have been primarily acquired through long-term exposure to the movement, and endeavors of trial and error. After thematic analysis, key themes are presented, along with strategies and cautions that may be beneficial to the animal welfare movement. Animal welfare leaders suggested a focus on issues that fitted well with their organizations’ remit and were not too broad, to avoid spreading resources and expertise too thin. A utilitarian framework was also considered important, aiming to improve the lives of as many animals as possible for the resources deployed. Good leaders were believed to have passion for their cause, not just for animals, and an ability to build and lead good teams, hence good interpersonal human skills were also perceived as essential. It is concluded that establishing what makes a good animal welfare leader could offer useful direction for future engagement of successful leaders in this field.
Highlights
As a modern movement and field of science, Animal Welfare has exponentially grown over recent decades, to one that has achieved global recognition
Five of the leaders referred to the clarity of their mandate, making the decision to be involved in a potential animal welfare activity very simple
One leader referred to the overwhelming amount of potential animal welfare issues to pursue and stated that this was more reason to stay focused on one issue only
Summary
As a modern movement and field of science, Animal Welfare has exponentially grown over recent decades, to one that has achieved global recognition. Measured in terms of social media attention (public support) rather than the traditional terms of net worth (donor generosity), animal-based charitable causes occupy three of the top 20 globally ranked positions for supporters, including. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which has 5.4 million supporters on Facebook [1,2,3]. US domestic animal welfare charity Humane Society US has 2.6 million supporters on Facebook, where. Despite not making the top 10 richest causes, reserved for long established social movements managing poverty, housing, healthcare, education and emergency relief aid for humans [4], these statistics show a growing movement support base of significant proportions. The birth of animal welfare science, and the simultaneous growing awareness and scientific understanding of animal suffering has seen a focus placed on a Animals 2018, 8, 89; doi:10.3390/ani8060089 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
