Animetrics is a research, capacity-building and implementation support organisation founded by two economists, Fatma Sueda Evirgen and Gülbike Mirzaoğlu. As they explain in an interview for Animal Charity Evaluators' Monthly Spotlight, its aim is to help animal protection organisations make more evidence-based decisions about where to focus, which audiences or institutions to engage, which messages to use and whether a strategy is worth pursuing.
It places particular emphasis on the Global South and Muslim contexts, where halal rules shape the dietary choices of nearly two billion people, about a quarter of the world's population. Nevertheless, relatively few organisations systematically study Muslim consumers, halal certification institutions or how the growth of this food system affects animals. Animetrics sees a major evidence gap here and an opportunity for strategies grounded in the realities of these communities.
Its model is driven by demand: it starts with the decisions organisations themselves are trying to make, rather than research questions in isolation. The two economists explain that economics is about how people, organisations, markets and institutions make decisions and respond to incentives; they therefore ask not only whether two things are related, but what actually changes behaviour, which barriers matter most and how limited resources can be used more effectively. They use surveys, experiments, impact evaluation and quantitative analysis.
Since its founding in August 2023, the organisation has completed 11 studies and 23 capacity-building projects, providing more than 350 hours of research, evaluation and strategic support. Eight of the research projects were completed in the past 12 months. They include studies on halal and animal welfare, diets with more plant foods, plant-based product labelling, attitudes towards farmed animals in five Middle Eastern countries, and a 15-country study of Muslim consumers in seven languages.
Some findings have already influenced real decisions. The Middle East Vegan Society used findings from a five-country survey to revise its regional strategy and strengthen its collaboration with Talabat, which then selected restaurants for a pilot expansion of plant-based options. In Chile, Fundación Veg used findings from a consumer confusion experiment when drafting amendments to a restrictive food technology bill. In Turkey, presenting findings on halal and animal welfare to the accredited certification body SigmaCert led to discussions about specific issues and a potential route to collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Interest extends beyond direct partnerships. Organisations from Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria, Ireland and elsewhere have expressed interest in applications ranging from campaign strategy and consumer education to collaboration with halal certification bodies. A webinar received ratings of 4.5/5 for quality, 4.4/5 for usefulness and 4.6/5 for clarity. The research has been incorporated into teaching at Istanbul University, included in the research libraries of GFI Europe, Faunalytics and ICARE, cited by Rethink Priorities, and presented at PHAIR, Fauna Connections and EA Unconference.
The biggest challenge, the founders say, is ensuring that research is actually used. Dissemination and implementation are different things: someone may download a report or say they intend to use it without it ultimately changing a campaign or an institutional discussion. That is why the model has become more practical, involving potential users before the research, providing more tailored outputs and following up after publication.
Demand exceeds the small team's capacity: its request log records 73 requests for support, of which 26 could not be fully supported because of limited staffing.
Funding from Animal Charity Evaluators came at a critical stage. With ACE's support, Animetrics developed its first Research Implementation Framework and a CRM-based stakeholder tracking system, shifting the focus from disseminating findings to their actual use.
For the founders, evidence-based animal advocacy means fewer important decisions being made on guesswork, especially in regions where animals are numerous, data is scarce and resources are severely limited. They therefore recommend investing in people and organisations that understand local contexts, and ask researchers to stay close to those who can use their work.
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