Trends In Humane Giving, Increasing Support For Those That Don’t Fund Animal Research
This research study shows the results of three surveys conducted in 1996, 2001 and 2005 to assess the long term trends in charitable contributions, which in general have shown an increase in percentage of those who view donations to animal experimentation as unnecessary and prefer to donate to those that fund only human-based research.
In 2005, 71% of respondents felt that it was important to donate to innovative non-animal research rather than animal experiments; 67% are more likely to donate to a health charity that has a policy of never funding animal experiments than to one that does (increase of 20% from 2001 and 31% from 1996).
Overall, people across all age groups are more likely to support charities that prefer non-animal research to animal experimentation. However, support for humane giving is higher in younger age groups. In 2005, 81% of those under 35 years supported humane giving versus 55% of older donors who felt similarly. In 1996, 70% of younger people were more likely to support humane research versus 35% of those age 65 and older.
The most current survey shows that more than half of those polled are unlikely to donate to organizations that support animal research, more than two-thirds are likely to donate to health charities that do not fund animal research, and nearly three-quarters believe it is important that health charities fund non-animal research instead of animal experiments.
Overall, women are more likely than men to support humane giving principles and are also more likely to make charitable contributions.
1995 Survey Results (Strongly-Somewhat Agree/Strongly Agree/Somewhat-Strongly Disagree/Other):
- I would be less likely to donate to a health charity if I knew that charity funds animal research experiments. (47%/22%/49%/5%)
- I would be more likely to donate to a health charity that had a policy of never funding any type of animal experiments. (51%/25%/45%/4%)
2001 Survey Results (Strongly-Somewhat Agree/Strongly Agree/Somewhat-Strongly Disagree/Other):
- I would be less likely to donate to a health charity if I knew that charity funds animal research experiments. (49%/23%/44%/7%)
- I would be more likely to donate to a health charity that had a policy of never funding any type of animal experiments. (56%/28%/37%/7%)
2005 Survey Results (Not Likely-Not at all Likely/ Not all Likely/ Extremely Likely-Very Likely-Somewhat Likely/ Other):
- How likely would you be to donate to a health charity if you knew that the charity funds animal experiments? (58%/36%/36%/6%)
- How likely would you be to donate to a health charity that had a policy of never funding any type of animal experiments? (67%/29%/26%/6%)
- When donating to a health charity, how important is it that your donation be used for innovative research without animals rather than animal research? (71%/44%/16%/28%/27%/11%/11%/22%/6%)