HumaneSpot.org Database Selection Process

The HumaneSpot.org database includes research studies, academic papers, articles, and other publications that relate to public opinion or behavior about animal protection issues. All of the records selected for inclusion in the database provide advocates with important insights and/or specific data that can be used to inform and improve some area of animal advocacy.

The HumaneSpot.org database includes nearly 500 items covering a wide range of issues and subjects, including the following primary topics:

• Advocacy Strategies
• Animal Experimentation
• Companion Animals
• Diet and Nutrition
• Entertainment Animals
• General Animal Advocacy
• Farmed Animals
• Vegetarianism and Veganism
• Wildlife and Exotics

Our sources of information are equally diverse, including animal advocacy groups as well as research conducted by animal industries, trade groups, academia, market research companies, the mainstream media, etc.

Due to the very diverse nature of our sources and the content included in the HumaneSpot.org database, HRC uses the original language of the research when entering new records. As a result, the database may include terms that many advocates consider inherently misleading and/or speciesist. HRC would like to assure our users that we are aware of the controversial nature of such terms and we do not encourage or endorse their adoption in any way. Rather, our intention is to be as unbiased as possible in our "presentation" of the data and to maintain integrity of the research by making content available in its original form.

Please go here to see a full list of categories and terms that we use to classify items in the HumaneSpot.org database. If you have any questions or concerns about our database record selection process or how we present the data, please contact us.