Year Four of HRC's Animal Tracker Launching Soon

We’re getting ready to launch year four of HRC’s Animal Tracker annual survey of the public opinion and behavior of adults in the U.S. This year’s survey, which will field in March, addresses specific behaviors that people change (or not) due to their concern for animals, perceived importance of humane education, and support for various advocacy tactics. We asked the exact same questions in 2008 and will be able to analyze changes over time. When the results are available in April, we’ll also refresh the Animal Tracker graphing tool that we launched in 2010.

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The Animal Tracker exists to provide advocates with a long-term perspective of attitudes and behavior among U.S. adults that relate to both animal issues and the animal protection movement. The full survey includes 15 questions in total. Because opinions don’t change much on an annual basis, and to keep costs down, we ask five questions each year (see below for the questions that will be asked in the next wave).

HRC manages the Animal Tracker and analyzes the results, but the study is a truly collaborative project. The annual surveys are generously sponsored by a diverse consortium of animal protection groups, and more sponsors are always welcome. The cost of sponsorship for year 4 will be $500-$750; the more sponsors we have, the lower the cost per organization. Sponsors are given in-depth “crosstab” data, allowed to use the results publicly, and are able to add questions at a discounted price.

To become a sponsor, please contact us.

The deadline for becoming a sponsor is January 31, 2011. The deadline to add your own questions is February 15.

Of course, individual donations are accepted at any time and are truly appreciated to help offset HRC’s investment of time to manage the survey, analyze the results, and distribute our analysis to advocates. We also publish a report of the study’s key findings, which all advocates have access to for free, and we input the data into our new graphing tool, launched in 2010, so that advocates can more easily understand and compare the results.

Please donate to the Animal Tracker today!

When donating, select “Animal Tracker Study” under the program area section, and thank you for the support!

Finally, below are the questions that we will ask in this year’s survey – it should be interesting to see how people’s responses have changed from three years ago and we look forward to sharing the results with you.

Animal Tracker – 2011 Survey Questions

In the past year, have you personally done any of the following? Please provide an answer for each activity.

Randomized list; Scale: Yes; No

• Adopted an animal
• Bought an animal
• Consumed a meat or dairy substitute
• Donated to an animal group
• Gone hunting or fishing
• Gone to a circus with animals
• Visited a zoo or aquarium
• Volunteered for an animal group
• Watched wildlife

In the past year, roughly how often have you personally done each of the following?

Randomized list; Scale: Often (i.e., daily or weekly); Sometimes (i.e., monthly or every few months); Rarely (i.e., once or twice during the year); Never; Do not know

• Adopted an animal
• Bought an animal
• Consumed a meat or dairy substitute
• Donated to an animal group
• Gone hunting or fishing
• Gone to a circus with animals
• Visited a zoo or aquarium
• Volunteered for an animal group
• Watched wildlife

How important is it that schools and teachers (Kindergarten-12 and college level) incorporate humane education, including animal welfare topics, into their lessons?

• Very important
• Somewhat important
• Not very important
• Not at all important
• Do not know

Social and political movements use a variety of tactics to create change for their issues. In general, how much do you support or oppose each of the following tactics?

Randomized list; Scale: Strongly support; Somewhat support; Somewhat oppose; Strongly oppose; No opinion; Do not know

• Anti-cruelty investigations
• Calling for product boycotts
• Demonstrating or protesting
• Filing lawsuits to protect animals
• Lobbying government officials
• Speaking in schools
• State ballot initiatives
• Using media to reach the public

How important to you is the protection of animals when it comes to making the following personal choices? If you never make these choices, mark “not applicable.”

Randomized list; Scale: Very important; Somewhat important; Not very important; Not at all important; Do not know; Not applicable

• Attending circuses or rodeos
• Buying clothing
• Buying food (i.e., meat, eggs, dairy)
• Buying consumer products
• Getting a new pet
• Going hunting or fishing
• Going to dog or horse races
• Voting for a political candidate