Emergency Animal Boarding: A Social Return on Investment

Area of Science:

• Social sciences
• Veterinary public health
• Economics

Background:

• Companion animals are integral to family well-being, particularly for socially isolated individuals.
• Crises like hospitalization, homelessness, and disasters threaten the human-animal bond, leading to pet surrender or euthanasia.
• Social support programs are crucial for maintaining this bond during emergencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the social return on investment (SROI) of the RSPCA NSW Emergency Boarding and Homelessness program.
• To quantify the benefits of the program for various stakeholder groups.

Main Methods:

• Employed the standard social return on investment (SROI) methodology.
• Conducted in-depth interviews with 13 program stakeholders.
• Collected questionnaire responses from 29 program clients.

Main Results:

• Clients and their companion animals received the majority of the program's benefits, valued at over AUD 5 million (2020-2021).
• The program achieved an estimated SROI of AUD 8.21 for every AUD 1 invested.
• Quantified outcomes across four stakeholder groups: clients, animals, RSPCA Inspectors, and animal shelters.

Conclusions:

• The RSPCA NSW program demonstrates a strong positive social return on investment.
• Maintaining human-animal bonds during crises significantly reduces stress and improves outcomes for both people and pets.
• Investment in such programs offers substantial societal and economic benefits.