ACC&D has created a resource to help those working in animal welfare navigate ethical dilemmas inherent in this work, whether research studies or projects like rabies vaccination or community spay-neuter initiatives.

In recent years, ACC&D has taken a more active role in advancing promising new tools and technologies to improve the welfare of cats and dogs. The experience of trialing novel interventions—such as an ear marker to identify cats and dogs who have been sterilized without surgery, or vaccinated as part of a rabies vaccination campaign—led ACC&D to navigate ethical dilemmas in the areas of study design, selection of animals, welfare of animals involved, impact of the study on the local community, and more.

Experts agree that too few resources exist to aid this type of decision-making. Sure, there’s work on research ethics in laboratory animals and vulnerable human populations, as well as in wildlife. But these are challenging to translate into working with owned or community animals in a field setting. It’s a topic we explored in the peer-reviewed publications "Exploring the Gaps in Practical Ethical Guidance for Animal Welfare Considerations of Field Interventions and Innovations Targeting Dogs and Cats” and “The Ethics of Innovation: Ethical Decision-Making and Review for Field Studies and Projects Targeting Dogs and Cats.”

In response, ACC&D held a Think Tank on “Ethical Decision-Making in Innovation for Animal Welfare” to address these challenging questions and need for new resources. At the urging of Think Tank attendees, ACC&D worked with a number of experts to create a comprehensive publication designed for animal welfare field practitioners, researchers, veterinarians, grant-makers, and more. The result is Ethical decision-making: practical guidance & toolkits on ethical decision-making and considerations for field projects targeting dogs and cats.

This guidance document aims to provide practical guidance that you can use as you design, implement, and review your programs or projects. It discusses different ethical principles and how they may shape peoples’ ethical views toward animals, the process of ethical review, and key ethical considerations when designing an intervention. Case studies showcase successful programs, as well as those that have faced challenges.

Download the publication here.