Evidence-based approaches to measuring and maximizing welfare impact help ensure that animal advocacy resources are used as effectively as possible.
As resources for animal welfare advocacy are limited relative to the scale of the problem, maximizing impact per dollar and per hour spent becomes important. Research by organizations like Animal Charity Evaluators applies the same evidence-based, cost-effectiveness analysis to animal charities that GiveWell applies to global health charities. This analysis consistently finds that farm animal welfare — particularly efforts targeting the most numerous and poorly protected animals like broiler chickens and laying hens — represents the highest-impact arena for advocacy resources. Corporate campaigns, ballot initiatives, and movement building all have documented records of moving animals to better conditions at measurable cost.