Animal Advocacy

How to Be a Better Animal Advocate

Carol L. Glasser — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:30:00 -0800

If you didn't receive our newsletter in your inbox today, here it is! If this is the first time you are seeing this, you may not be a registered user of HumaneSpot.org. If not, register today! Registration is free and comes with added perks, like access to the search feature in our research database and emails tailored to your personal preferences and interests. These useful emails provide updates of all the new research items and blog posts added to our database that address the specific topic(s) that you are interested in.

New Survey of Shelter Leaders Shows Strength and Unity of Animal Movement

Carol L. Glasser — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:45:00 -0800

This article summarizes findings from a survey of animal shelter and rescue workers. The survey, designed and administered by HRC, was commissioned by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Respondents were asked about various animal protection issues and their use of HSUS resources.

Protecting All Animals, an Interview with Dr. Bernard Unti

Carol L. Glasser — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:45:00 -0800

Bernard Unti is an historian of the human-animal bond and the senior policy adviser and special assistant to the CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. He recently took the time to answer some questions for me about some of his research and the role that historical research has had and can have for the animal protection movement.

Coming Soon: Year Five of HRC's Animal Tracker

HRC Admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:45:00 -0800

We’re getting ready to launch year five of HRC’s Animal Tracker annual survey of the public opinions and behavior of adults in the U.S. This year’s survey, which will field in March, addresses opinions toward various social movements, who people trust to provide information about animal welfare, opinions about the adequacy of animal protection laws, attitudes toward the importance of animal welfare in various situations, and the frequency with which people discuss animal protection issues. We asked the exact same questions in 2008 and 2009 and will be able to analyze changes over time. When the results are available in April, we’ll also refresh the Animal Tracker graphing tool so that the results will be easy to access and interpret.

Humane State Rankings 2011

Carol L. Glasser — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:45:00 -0800

This report is the Humane Society of the United States' ranking of each US state based on laws addressing animal protection. The report is user friendly--presented as an interactive map, a listing of each state by ranking, as well as short individual reports for each state that provides detail on which laws exists in that state.

How Readable Are Your Animal Advocacy Materials?

Carol L. Glasser — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 -0800

The most exciting project this new year, is the release of our latest study examining how easy it is for the average person to read and understand animal advocacy literature. Specifically, HRC partnered with VegFund and FARM to evaluate the readability of the most widely distributed vegan outreach pamphlets.

Readability of Vegan Outreach Literature

HRC Admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:45:00 -0800

To evaluate the readability of such materials in a more robust and transparent manner, the Humane Research Council (HRC) partnered with VegFund and FARM to test a selection of outreach materials that are commonly used by vegan advocates. The average readability scores placed these materials in the range of the 11th grade reading level or higher, which is three to four grade levels higher than the average U.S. adult.

Mystery Surrounding Abandoned Horses Finally Solved

Carol L. Glasser — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:45:00 -0800

The Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) investigated the reasons for high numbers of abandoned horses in the Southwestern United States. Their investigation was conducted in response to concerns that closing, what was in 2007, the last US horse slaughter plant led to unwanted horses being dumped and abandoned.

Choosing Our Words Wisely

Carol L. Glasser — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:45:00 -0800

Using honest, direct and accurate language seems simple enough, but when working in the field of animal protection it is anything but. Many of the typical ways of talking about animal issues in the English language are inherently biased against animal interests. Common words and phrases mask animal abuse, reinforce human exceptionalism and dominance, and normalize animal exploitation.

From Cruelty to Welfare: The Emergence of Farm Animal Welfare in Britain, 1964–71

Carol L. Glasser — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:45:00 -0800

This study is a historical analysis of the animal welfare movement in Britain from 1964-1971. This article details how "animal welfare" was defined and how it came under the purview of government regulation.