Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Charity Evaluation: Effectiveness Guide

Evaluating the effectiveness of animal welfare charities helps donors maximise the welfare impact of their giving.

Key Facts

Animal Charity Evaluators identifies and promotes the most cost-effective animal welfare organisations
Key evaluation criteria include scale, neglectedness, tractability, and room for more funding
Cage-free campaigns and corporate engagement are among the most cost-effective documented interventions
Transparency, monitoring and evaluation, and evidence-based strategy are markers of high-effectiveness organisations

Welfare Considerations

Donor choice among animal welfare organisations significantly affects welfare impact per pound given. Evidence-based giving that prioritises cost-effective, well-evidenced organisations can deliver dramatically more welfare benefit than giving to organisations with strong brand recognition but weak evidence of impact.

What You Can Do

Research animal welfare organisations using Animal Charity Evaluators before donating
Prioritise organisations with strong monitoring and evaluation and evidence-based strategies
Diversify giving across cause areas including factory farming, wild animal welfare, and advocacy capacity building