INFORMED CONSENT

Invitation to be part of a research study

You are invited to participate in a research study. Please take time to read this entire form before deciding whether to take part in this research project. Taking part is completely voluntary.

To take part, you must be an adult (18 or older) who currently works or volunteers, or formerly worked or volunteered, in a paid or unpaid role in an animal-related field or in a role that substantially involves animals or animal-related content, and who can read and complete the survey in English.

What is the study about and why is it being done?

We are studying the moral, emotional, and workplace experiences of people who do (or used to do) work or volunteering activities connected to animals, across many different settings (for example, sheltering and rescue, veterinary medicine, animal control, wildlife and conservation work, laboratory/research, farming and food production, and animal advocacy or investigation). We want to understand how this work affects wellbeing, why people stay or leave, and how different kinds of experiences relate to mental health.

What will happen if you take part in this study?

You will complete an online survey. The first part takes about 15–25 minutes and includes background questions, work details, and questionnaires about your experiences and exposures in animal care, how you have processed those experiences, and your overall wellbeing. You may then choose to continue to an optional second part (about 5-10 more minutes). You may also choose to be contacted for a possible interview and/or follow-up survey in about 6–12 months that will provide additional insights to ongoing well-being over time. This is optional. If you are invited, you would receive separate information and a separate consent form before any interview takes place.

What topics does the survey cover?

The survey asks about your work experiences and your wellbeing. Some questions touch on difficult topics, including the death of animals, animal suffering or mistreatment, situations that may have conflicted with your values, threats or hostility you may have faced, and your mood, including questions about depression and about thoughts of suicide or self-harm. You do not have to answer any question you do not want to.

How could you or others benefit from this study?

Participants should not expect any direct benefit from participating in this study. Benefits to society include the potential to learn more about the factors that contribute to negative mental health outcomes following work or volunteer experiences in animal care. This information can be used to improve future treatments that are available for animal care workers and volunteers suffering as a result of their experiences in animal care work. While there may be no direct benefit to you by participating in this study, we hope to contribute to the study of the mental health impact on those who care for animals, including outcomes related to trauma and moral injury. Additionally, some people find it meaningful to reflect on these experiences. The study aims to improve understanding and support for people in animal care and related work.

What risks might you experience from being in this study?

The risks involved in this study include possible or likely emotional discomfort due to recalling trauma exposures, direct or indirect experiences with animal abuse, animal neglect, human-inflicted trauma, and grief and loss, or other work and volunteer-related difficulties. The risks involved in this study are minimal, which means they are equal to the risks you would encounter in everyday life. Because your responses are anonymous, we are not able to identify or contact you individually based on your answers. In the event that a participant is experiencing distress, they are encouraged to reach out for support. Resources that are available for support include: 

In the United States:

Outside the U.S:

If in crisis:

  • Call 911 (in the U.S.)

  • Visit local emergency room

  • For participants outside the U.S. who are in crisis, contact your local emergency services or crisis line

How will your information be protected?

Your survey responses are confidential. We do not ask for your name, and the information used for analysis does not identify you.

If you choose to enter the gift-card drawing or to be contacted for the follow-up survey or interview, you will be asked to provide an email address. Providing your email is optional and is not required to take part in the survey. Your email is used only for the purpose(s) you select, to notify you if you win the drawing and/or to invite you to the follow-up survey. Once the survey(s) is/are complete, your email address is deleted in the exported files and is never linked to your responses in our analysis.

If you choose to take the follow-up survey, your email address will be used to contact you notifying you of the option to complete the follow-up survey in 6- to 12-months. If you choose to complete the follow-up survey, your email address will be used so your two surveys can be matched and will then be deleted from any export and will not be linked to data analysis in any way.

If you choose to be contacted about a possible interview, you will be asked for an email address. As with the drawing and the follow-up survey, this email is used only for that purpose, is kept separate from your survey responses, and is removed from the analysis files.

Research records will be stored securely on a password-protected computer and may be used in future presentations. If data collected from you is shared, including in future research studies or with other researchers beyond the current research team, any information that could identify you, if applicable, will be removed before the data is shared.

Who is funding this study?

This research is supported by a research grant from Growing Kindness. The funder does not have access to individual survey responses and does not take part in analyzing the data. The principal investigator is responsible for the study's design, analysis, and conclusions.

Will you be compensated?

Participants will not be compensated for participating in this study. However, at the end of each part, you may choose to enter a drawing for one of ten $25 gift cards (a separate drawing for each part). Entering is optional, and any email you provide is used only to notify you if you win. Before any gift cards are awarded, responses are reviewed to screen out fraudulent or automated entries.

Is participation voluntary?

Yes. Your decision whether to participate will not affect your relationship with the researcher or Fortifyu, LLC. You may decline, skip any question, or stop at any time before submitting, without penalty.

Who do you contact with questions?

The researcher is Jamie McNally, Ph.D. You may ask questions now or later by contacting her at info@fortifyucoaching.com. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant and wish to speak with someone independent of the research team, you may contact Pearl IRB at (317) 899-9341 or info@pearlirb.com.