By understanding and applying research to our work, we have the ability to maximize the impact of the work we do. Below are three studies that were recently performed that provide valuable insight into our mission of improving the lives of animals and supporting a strong human-animal bond. 

1. During the pandemic, first time fosters were the most likely to adopt. Researchers took data from 19 shelters across the United States and found that first time fosters without pets already at home adopted the shelter pets in their care 77% of the time. The same researchers found that the shelters that allowed adoption visits directly from foster homes, adopted out their pets in two thirds the time as shelters that did not. 

2. Compassion fatigue and trauma impact animal protection workers. From interviewing 11 staff members working in animal protection in positions related to animal surrender in seizure, researchers drew two major conclusions. Firstly, the participants felt unprepared for the field and were shocked by the suffering that they witnessed. They felt that they were ill equipped to handle many of the serious issues of poverty, trauma, and oppression faced by animal guardians. Secondly, they faced verbal abuse and violence from human guardians and were not equipped with the conflict resolution skills needed to deescalate the situations. 

3. Kids are a great demographic to target with humane education. Researchers in one study with 479 participants from ages 9-59 found that kids ages 9-12 have not yet formed their beliefs surrounding the categorization of animals. Participants in this age range were likely to say that pigs should be treated the same as people, but that dogs should be treated better than both. This suggests that beliefs pertaining to the worth of animals are formed during adolescents. Targeting humane education to children before these beliefs have been formed could be a good tactic for helping them form positive ideas surrounding animals.