Animal protection organizations themselves face welfare challenges in managing their animals, staff, and organizational culture in ways that maximize welfare outcomes.
Animal welfare organizations are not immune to creating welfare problems for the animals in their care. High-stress, high-turnover organizations with poor management culture produce animals who lack stable relationships and consistent care. Secondary traumatic stress in staff and volunteers who are repeatedly exposed to animal suffering degrades their capacity to provide care. Organizations that invest in staff wellbeing — supervision, mental health support, reasonable workloads — produce better outcomes for animals.