Social Work in Animal Welfare (SWAW)
Best Practices Guidelines for Practitioners & Organizations
Executive Summary of SWAW Guidelines Project
Through research funding from the ASPCA, this project, Increasing Access to Veterinary Care (AVC) Through Best Practice Guidelines for Veterinary Social Work in Animal Welfare Settings, entailed the
use of participatory action research (PAR) to collaboratively develop the first-ever professional practice guidelines for social workers employed in animal welfare settings. Prior to beginning this
project, the project processes were IRB reviewed and determined to be exempt.
Over an 18-month period, a diverse group of social workers (N = 25) from across the U.S. and Canada -with full-time social work practice experience in animal welfare settings - collaboratively engaged in
an iterative process of knowledge generation, data analysis, and consensus building. The guidelines resulting from their efforts outline emerging best practices for social work practice in animal welfare
settings.
Examples of how these guidelines can support animal welfare missions include but are not limited to:
increasing community engagement and access to veterinary and pet-related supports; enhancing staff well-being; and strengthening the integration of social work practice skills in animal welfare
organizations in accomplishing mission-related goals. The SWAW Guidelines aim to strengthen access to people–animal supports, enhance organizational capacity, and foster more compassionate
communities by integrating social work skills and knowledge within animal welfare services.
Co-Authors
This manuscript is the result of the collective team effort of 25 professional social workers, one of whom elected to remain anonymous. All authors listed contributed to the conceptualization, writing process, and editing of these guidelines. The 24 named co-authors are listed alphabetically for organizational purposes and should not be interpreted as reflecting the extent of individual contributions.
Kathryn Agar, BSW, MSW Student
Katie Anderson, MSW, Community Support Manager, Gateway Pet Guardians
Kayla Anderson, LMSW, Veterinary Social Worker, The Program for Pet Health Equity
Kelly Bremken, MSSW, VSW, CSWA, Veterinary Social Worker Oregon Humane Society
Nicole Cherie, LMSW, Animal Humane New Mexico
Brianna A. Dobbs, MSW, LLMSW-Clinical, Senior Community Advocate, Michigan Humane
Dillon Dodson, Registered Social Worker (RSW), Psychotherapist & Somatic Stress ReleaseTM Practitioner, Director, Social Work, Toronto Humane Society
Alyssa Elmer, LMSW
Daniela Foley, MSW, LSW
Kristina Hill, MSW, LISW-S, One Health Program Manager, Humane Society of Greater Dayton
Janet Hoy-Gerlach, PhD, LISW-S, LCSW, Director of Veterinary Social Work, Open Door Veterinary Collective
Debbie King, RSSW, VSW, PGRS-C, Ottawa Humane Society
Laurie Maxwell, MSW, LCSW, Director of Social Work, MedVet
Charity Moorhous, LCSW, Veterinary Social Worker, Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center
Kaitlyn O'Neel, MSW, LSWAIC, VSW-CP
Augusta O'Reilly, MSW, LCSW, President, International Association of Veterinary Social Work
Leslie Pacheco, LCSW, Bernalillo County Public Safety Division
Elida Palomino, MA, Psychotherapist, The Aspen Center for Counseling and Consultation LLC
Geoff Simons, MSW, CSW-UT/ Veterinary Social Worker
Emma Swendsen, BSW
Alexis Telfair-Garcia, LMSW, Social Work Program Development Director, Austin Pets Alive!
Hannah Tomaszewski, MS, MSW, LSW, VSW
Rachael Villaseñor, LCSW, Veterinary Social Worker
Hanna Wise, RCSWI, Veterinary Social Worker, First Coast No More Homeless Pets
This work was developed through a participatory action research project funded by the ASPCA, with Open Door Veterinary Collective serving as fiscal sponsor and coordinating organization, and with crucial project support from the International Association of Veterinary Social Work, The University of Tennessee Center for Veterinary Social Work, and the Program for Pet Health Equity.
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