Going Vegan: How Common Is It?
Despite growing cultural and media attention to vegetarianism, veganism, and other types of meat-reduction diets (e.g., “flexitarianism”), the true global prevalence and growth rate of veganism and related diets remain unclear. There is a pressing need for a synthesis of global data to help pinpoint whether veganism is rising, stable, or plateauing in different regions of the world. This systematic review aims to synthesize existing global data on the prevalence and trends of veganism and related diets. The findings and accompanying interactive infographics produced by this project will be important for informing and guiding animal advocacy strategies and can be used to pinpoint areas where more data and investigation are needed.
Understanding How India’s Gen Z Shapes Family Food Choices
India’s Generation Z (born roughly between 1997–2012) represents a rapidly growing segment with distinct values, lifestyles, and purchasing behaviors compared to their parents. As this cohort becomes more financially independent and digitally empowered, they are also becoming key influencers in household decisions, including what foods are stocked in the refrigerator. This study seeks to understand the evolving power dynamics within Indian families: what do Gen Z eat, what do they value when it comes to food choices, and how do their behaviors and values influence their parents’ choices and household consumption patterns? Ultimately, this study will provide actionable insights into how advocacy groups can leverage Gen Z’s growing role as household tastemakers to accelerate the adoption of plant-based foods in India.
Public Understanding of "Factory Farming"
Animal advocates in the United States commonly use the term “factory farming” to describe industrial animal agriculture while the industry tends to use other terms instead (e.g., “feedlot”, “farm”, "concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)", etc.). Given that animal advocacy groups commonly use “factory farming” to refer to a specific context that is extremely harmful to animals and the environment, this study aims to assess whether the general public understands the term "factory farming" in the same way animal advocates do, and if it's more effective than alternative terms. It will also determine if the public perceives this term negatively or positively across different demographic groups. This study will help us better understand whether pervasive use of certain terms would change the public's general concern for farmed animal welfare, for better or for worse, and can directly inform communications and messaging strategies for animal advocates.
Co-Creating a Research Agenda to Improve Evidence-Based Strategies in China (in collaboration with Good Growth)
China plays a pivotal role in global animal welfare progress, but effective advocacy pathways remain insufficiently mapped. This project aims to bring advocates and researchers together in Chinese and English to co‑set a clear, actionable research agenda and to make sure findings are relevant, credible, and easy to use. We will work closely with animal advocates in China to learn what questions matter most to them and what kind of research is useful in their everyday work. We’ll focus on local realities and produce research questions that ensure any future research (by Faunalytics or other research organisations) will get used and lead to better advocacy results for animals. Importantly, this project is designed as a potential model for replication in other countries or regions, particularly in areas where there is currently limited knowledge of stakeholder needs, such as the Global South. By systematically documenting and refining the process, Faunalytics and Good Growth aim to enable future participatory research prioritisation efforts that are context-sensitive and stakeholder-driven across diverse geographies.
Testing The Short-Term & Long-Term Impact Of Different Approaches To Advocacy
Our previous study, Planting Seeds: The Impact Of Diet & Different Animal Advocacy Tactics, compared the short- term impact of ten animal advocacy tactics on people’s behaviors and attitudes towards farmed animals, including animal product consumption. This follow-up experiment will assess the short-term (two weeks) and long-term (three months) impact of a wide variety of animal advocacy tactics on a wide variety of key outcomes including dietary change, information seeking, consumer choices, advocacy engagement, and moral concern for animals. The study aims to provide a deeper understanding of which advocacy approaches create sustained positive effects.
Brazilian Voters’ Response To Pro-Animal Candidates
Elected officials have the power to institute policies that can benefit huge numbers of animals. However, many politicians may be hesitant to talk about issues that affect animals for fear of electoral blowback. In a follow-up to our study of U.S. voters, this research will explore how hypothetical political candidates can effectively discuss animal welfare and farming subsidies in Brazil to gain popular voter support. It will provide insights into how pro-animal messages resonate with Brazilian voters, helping advocates tailor their outreach in this high-impact region.
Different Strokes for Different Folks: Subgroup Deep Dive
In 2023, Faunalytics published Different Strokes For Different Folks: Comparing U.S. Groups' Openness To Pro-Animal Actions. This report looked at how groups in the U.S. differed in their openness to various pro-animal actions, such as reducing their meat consumption or voting for a cage-free ballot measure. The report associated with this project focused on high-level groups, such as Black people, women, students, and people in rural areas. With nearly 6,000 responses in the final data set, this project resulted in enough data to be able to zoom in further, with more detailed sub-analyses than were covered in the original report. This follow-up study will involve additional analyses of the original dataset, allowing us to explore the attitudes of key subgroups (e.g., Black students, women in rural areas), which can provide advocates with an even more specific picture of their target audiences, allowing them to tailor their outreach with more precision.
How Recent U.S. Federal Government Cuts Affect Animals
Between January 20, 2025 and December 31, 2025, the United States federal government cut approximately 300,000 jobs. This total consists of agency shutterings, incentivized resignations or retirements, reductions in force, and other cuts to the federal government, and these changes may have considerable effects on animals. Because the various cuts, freezes, and downsizing programs are spread across many departments and agencies, animal advocates do not have a clear picture of how farmed animals and animals used in science have been impacted. This study will use publicly available databases to conduct a ten-year comparison (2015–2025) of government records, analyzing changes in facility inspections, enforcement actions (fines), and federal funding for animal research to see if the reduction in workers is associated with decreases in animal welfare oversight. The results of this study will provide animal advocates with clear, actionable recommendations for future legislative and policy work in the context of a changing federal landscape.
Chinese Consumer Perspectives on Aquatic Animals: Considerations Welfare, Certification, and Cost (in collaboration with Good Growth)
China produces over 50% of the world's farmed fish and crustaceans, yet Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward the welfare of these aquatic animals are virtually unknown. This study aims to fill this critical evidence gap by conducting a quantitative survey of 1,000 consumers across the major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. This study will assess consumer awareness of welfare issues, their trust in different certification and labeling schemes, and their willingness to pay a premium for higher-welfare aquaculture products. This research will generate immediately actionable insights for animal advocacy organizations, helping them refine corporate engagement, tailor regional messaging, and develop effective labeling strategies.
When Do Lawmakers Talk About Animal Welfare?
Strengthening laws relating to animal welfare is one of the most powerful ways advocates can reduce animal suffering, but finding lawmakers willing to champion these efforts can be challenging. This study seeks to identify the key characteristics of both current and potential "pro-animal champions" in the United States Congress. We will analyze publicly available data, including legislators’ voting history, committee roles, and the characteristics of their districts, such as the presence of animal-related industries and campaign contributions. The resulting insights will highlight the lawmaker and district traits most strongly associated with pro-animal political behavior, helping advocates strategically focus their legislative efforts for greater success.
