Most people working in animal welfare can provide examples of conflict that has hindered progress toward common goals or caused personal and professional frustration. As the capstone project for her BA in Organizational Communication and Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Karen Green surveyed 227 animal welfare professionals and volunteers to quantify and assess the impact of conflict within this passionate community.

Results of her 2009 study confirmed that indeed, destructive conflict is hurting animal welfare organizations and the people working and volunteering for them. Furthermore, with limited financial resources and even less time to spend on formal education, survey respondents reported that few practical options were available to support conflict-resolution training. Despite high interest in such material, reading books or taking classes is simply not an option for those whose time and money are spent caring for the animals that need them most.

In the course of studying communication and conflict, Karen has seen firsthand how improving conflict resolution skills can have a significant, positive impact. Her intention with this handbook is to provide an accessible resource for those who work to help animals.