Humane Thinking, from HRC
Humane Thinking is the official blog of the Humane Research Council, where our experts provide thoughts on the latest data and trends relating to animal advocacy. HumaneSpot.org registered users are invited (and encouraged) to join the conversation and share comments with other advocates.
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Alternate Perspective: Goals Gone Wild
Submitted by Che on Jun 16, 2009 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal Protection | Research Tools and MethodsWhile working with animal groups on research studies and strategic planning, I often emphasize setting clear and measurable goals. Goals are important, especially for a relatively “young” cause such as animal protection, which arguably has much to learn from those in the corporate and academic worlds. However, a recent paper from Harvard Business School suggests that goals are overused and incorrectly applied in many situations. The analysis is certainly worth reading, if only to understand the potential downsides when setting your own goals.
The Problem with PETA
Submitted by Che on May 31, 2009 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was founded in 1980 and has since become the most recognizable animal protection group in the world. They deserve a lot of credit for almost single-handedly putting animal rights issues on the radar of the U.S. public. As concern for animals becomes more mainstream, however, much of PETA's public education work seems outdated and potentially even counterproductive. Has PETA outlived its usefulness and/or has its approach to generating media tarnished the image of its fellow animal advocates? Whatever the answer, it's a question worth asking.
Award-Winning Nonprofit Taglines
Submitted by Che on May 22, 2009 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionLast year, the nonprofit marketing consultancy Getting Attention selected the annual winners of the Nonprofit Tagline Awards. One thing that stands out when reading the twelve winning taglines, chosen by votes from more than 3,000 nonprofit professionals, is that all of them focus on appealing to a specific target audience. If your communications are not based on solid research about your target audience, then figuring out what appeals to that audience should be your first step. Effective communications must be audience-specific.
5 Ways to Support HRC (without opening your wallet)
Submitted by Che on May 14, 2009 General Animal ProtectionThe economy is still in turmoil and times are tough for many people. If you'd like to support the Humane Research Council and our work to help animal advocates become as effective as possible, but aren't able to donate right now, there are still ways that you can help! Here are five quick and free ways you can support HRC by helping us build the animal advocacy movement.
Marginalizing Animal Cruelty
Submitted by Che on May 04, 2009 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionIn both the U.S. and the rest of the world, there seems to be momentum behind recent efforts to protect animals of all kinds. While most of these efforts – and the changes that result from them – are far from abolitionist, they are meaningful steps toward creating a more compassionate society. An important move in the direction of eliminating animal suffering is to marginalize the more obvious acts of animal cruelty such as dogfighting and crowding hens into tiny cages. The question is: how can we push animal cruelty even further into the margins of acceptable behavior?
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