General Animal Protection
"The Seed Never Sees the Flower"
Submitted by Che on Aug 25, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionTake a look around: Despite decades, even centuries of work by advocates, people still have a long way to go on a variety of important issues like race, gender, poverty, etc. The same is true of animal advocacy, which by comparison is a relatively young cause. But in spite of the arguably slow progress of advancing the status of animals in today's society, there is reason for advocates to be optimistic.
Wealth Does Not Dictate Concern for the Environment, Study Finds
Submitted on Aug 18, 2008 Farmed Animals | General Animal Protection | Wildlife and Exotics
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A study of several dozen nations with different economic situations found that those living in relatively poorer nations are equally or more concerned about the environment when compared with those living in wealthier nations.
Just for Fun -- Charts from GraphJam.com
Submitted by Che on Aug 16, 2008 General Animal Protection | Research Tools and MethodsThese blog posts usually deal with some weighty (and hopefully thought-provoking) issues relating to animal protection, but this one is really just for fun. The good folks at GraphJam.com have collected some interesting graphics and depicting some inane observations about popular culture.
Good Measures: New Approaches to Evaluation (audio/podcast)
Submitted on Aug 15, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal Protection
by Stanford Social Innovation Review
In this panel discussion from the recent evaluation conference sponsored by Stanford Social Innovations Review and FSG Social Impact Advisors, Kriss Deiglmeier moderates a lively discussion on ways that funders and grantees can work together in order to effectively measure and improve the impact of their programs. Panelists include representatives from REDF and the Gates Foundation along with two nonprofit organizations.
Animal Advocacy at the Crossroads: The Takeaway
Submitted by Che on Aug 12, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionIn animal and environmental advocacy circles, the debate over what makes effective advocacy is a long-standing one that isn't likely to be resolved soon. But as thoughtful activists, it's our job to continuously audit our own efforts and make improvements when possible. A recent report from the World Wildlife Fund provides some interesting takeaways for the environmental movement that are also quite relevant for advocates focused on animal issues.
Do the Purists Know Something We Don't?
Submitted by Che on Aug 05, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal Protection | Research Tools and MethodsA new report from the World Wildlife Fund says that successful social movements are "unequivocal in articulating what (they) stand for." It may seem like a fairly innocuous statement, but at the root of it rests one of the most fundamental questions facing social change advocates. Namely, if one's messages must always adhere to a specific set of core values. For animal advocates, this includes whether or not it is legitimate to use non-animal reasons to motivate animal-friendly behavior.
The Environment... Are We Doing All We Can?
Submitted on Jul 28, 2008 Diet and Nutrition | General Animal Protection
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A nationwide poll regarding the environment shows that the majority of U.S. adults believe their personal actions are significant for protecting the environment, but slightly more than half have not heard of "environmental sustainability." Other behaviors related to the environment were also covered in this study.
Is the Animal Protection Movement at a Crossroads?
Submitted by Che on Jul 28, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | General Animal ProtectionA recent publication from the World Wildlife Fund asks important questions about encouraging environmentally-friendly behavior among consumers. The report addresses the long-term efficacy of marketing-based, incremental advocacy approaches and argues in favor of more values-based messaging. The discussion is relevant to discussions among animal advocates regarding whether or not to use tangential motivators to encourage animal-friendly behavior.
"I Don't Like Meat to Look Like Animals": How Consumer Behavior Responds to Animal Rights Campaigns
Submitted on Jul 23, 2008 Advocacy Strategies | Farmed Animals | General Animal Protection | Vegetarianism and Veganism
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Consumers are largely isolated from the moral implications of their choices by numerous mechanisms that allow them to dissociate their use of animals from the suffering of animals. The literature review portion of this thesis examines the psychological and cultural constructs that present unique challenges to animal rights as a social movement. From that contextual backdrop, this thesis then evaluates consumer response to three major campaigns conducted by HSUS and PETA between 1980 and the present. The campaigns are vegetarianism and factory farming, the anti-fur movement, and the campaign against cosmetics testing on animals. While consumer response has been mixed, there are other outcomes from those campaigns that signal broader cultural changes. [Excepted from report]
Animals v. Animals: A False Choice
Submitted on Jul 17, 2008 Companion Animals | General Animal Protection | Wildlife and Exotics
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Humans are the overwhelming cause of bird deaths. Those who try to frame the issue as a "cats versus birds" debate contribute, perhaps unwittingly, to the further decline of bird populations. Alley Cat Allies Legal Director Wendy Anderson explores the real reasons birds are at risk -- human accountability -- and the role lawyers can play in animal protection.