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Photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur sits between rows of dirty cages confining raccoon dogs at a large fur farm during a nighttime investigation with Anima International. The wire-bottom enclosures house the animals above accumulated waste. Many animals show injuries, infections, blindness and foot deformities, while some pace and others lie motionless. Poland, 2024. Andrew Skowron / We Animals

Lighting the Spark: Our Theory of Change & 2026-2028 Strategic Plan

by | Jan 29, 2026

In 2025, the We Animals leadership team and board of directors came together to articulate our Theory of Change and shape a new three-year Strategic Plan. We’re thrilled to now share both of these publicly.

We Animals’ Theory of Change

Our Theory of Change is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: when people truly see and understand the lives of animals, a spark can be lit. Perspectives can shift, and meaningful action and change become possible.

We aim to be the spark.

Through compelling photojournalism, we tell the stories of animals, stories too often hidden or ignored. By making their lives visible, we inspire compassion and challenge the ways animals are perceived and treated.

Equally important, we equip advocates, journalists, and educators with the resources to tell these stories themselves. By doing so, we empower others to enhance their campaigns, broaden their reach, and shape public discourse.

Together, these efforts create a ripple effect: stories spark insight; insight fuels compassion and advocacy, and advocacy drives personal and societal change. This is how we move closer to a world where animals are truly seen, protected, and valued.

“The challenge of building a safer world for animals is immense, but so too are the opportunities ahead. There are many sparks to ignite, and we must be deliberate: focusing on our strengths, enabling others to lean into theirs, and carrying the torch together.” — Lisa Amerongen, We Animals’ Executive Director

Following two massive February 2023 earthquakes, HAYTAP Animal Rights Federation and Istanbul Fire Department team members carry a mother dog from inside a damaged building. The team rescued the mother dog and her litter of puppies five days after the earthquakes struck the country. Antakya, Hatay, Turkiye, 2023. Ozan Acidere / We Animals
Following two massive February 2023 earthquakes, HAYTAP Animal Rights Federation and Istanbul Fire Department team members carry a mother dog from inside a damaged building. The team rescued the mother dog and her litter of puppies five days after the earthquakes struck the country. Antakya, Hatay, Turkiye, 2023. Ozan Acidere / We Animals
Two pigs stand nose to nose in flood waters while awaiting rescue at an Italian factory pig farm. Extreme weather in May 2023 caused mudslides and waterways to overflow, severely affecting numerous factory farms. This farm had no evacuation plan, and many pigs were trapped in the flood waters for days. Lugo, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 2023. Selene Magnolia / Essere Animali / We Animals
Two pigs stand nose to nose in flood waters while awaiting rescue at an Italian factory pig farm. Extreme weather in May 2023 caused mudslides and waterways to overflow, severely affecting numerous factory farms. This farm had no evacuation plan, and many pigs were trapped in the flood waters for days. Lugo, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 2023. Selene Magnolia / Essere Animali / We Animals
A weak and wet turkey poult stands closed-eyed amid thick firefighting foam that also covers their dead flockmates. Following the detection of avian influenza in the turkey flock at this Israeli kibbutz, authorities used compressed firefighting foam to mass-suffocate the birds, claiming it to be the most efficient and humane method of extermination. Visible were numerous birds slowly dying or conscious after the foam's application. Israel, 2016. Glass Walls / We Animals
A weak and wet turkey poult stands closed-eyed amid thick firefighting foam that also covers their dead flockmates. Following the detection of avian influenza in the turkey flock at this Israeli kibbutz, authorities used compressed firefighting foam to mass-suffocate the birds, claiming it to be the most efficient and humane method of extermination. Visible were numerous birds slowly dying or conscious after the foam's application. Israel, 2016. Glass Walls / We Animals
Ten, now eight, mink kits in a nesting box. Sweden, 2010. Jo-Anne McArthur / Djurrattsalliansen / We Animals Media
Ten, now eight, mink kits in a nesting box. Sweden, 2010. Jo-Anne McArthur / Djurrattsalliansen / We Animals Media
A mother cow looks around apprehensively and stands protectively beside a "Khal bacha," or dummy calf on a small dairy farm. Made from the stuffed and treated skin of her deceased calf, who died two weeks earlier, the Khal bacha convinces the mother her calf is still alive and her body continues milk production. Daihat, West Bengal, India, 2023. Sudip Maiti / FIAPO / We Animals
A mother cow looks around apprehensively and stands protectively beside a "Khal bacha," or dummy calf on a small dairy farm. Made from the stuffed and treated skin of her deceased calf, who died two weeks earlier, the Khal bacha convinces the mother her calf is still alive and her body continues milk production. Daihat, West Bengal, India, 2023. Sudip Maiti / FIAPO / We Animals
A close-up underwater view of a crowded group of tilapia on an Indonesian fish farm, about to be harvested from the floating cage they live in. Surrounding the fish is a net used to confine the fish in a small area so that they can be transferred to another enclosure. Indonesia, 2021. Lilly Agustina / Act For Farmed Animals / We Animals
A close-up underwater view of a crowded group of tilapia on an Indonesian fish farm, about to be harvested from the floating cage they live in. Surrounding the fish is a net used to confine the fish in a small area so that they can be transferred to another enclosure. Indonesia, 2021. Lilly Agustina / Act For Farmed Animals / We Animals

We Animals’ 2026-2028 Strategic Plan

Our 2026–2028 strategic plan sharpens our focus on what we do most powerfully: storytelling and movement support through visual resources. Within its pages, you’ll see new initiatives we’re excited to test, projects we’re undertaking for the first time, and our continued commitment to sustaining the work that has carried us this far.

What’s New in 2026–2028:

  • Subsidized Assignments: Supporting NGOs and advocates in underrepresented regions with free or low-cost photojournalism.
  • Flagship Storytelling & Communications Projects: Investing in ambitious, high-impact campaigns that bring together our photojournalism, editorial, and digital marketing teams to tell transformative animal stories and reach new audiences worldwide.
  • Expanded APJ Network: Cultivating relationships with new photojournalists to ensure coverage in every priority region while deepening our existing network through mentorship and skill-building opportunities.
  • AI Integration Plan: Anticipating shifts in media and technology to safeguard the future of ethical storytelling and maintain We Animals’ leadership in the visual advocacy space.
  • Distinctive Donor Experience: Strengthening supporter relationships through personalized storytelling, transparency, and a deepened sense of community connection.

What Continues:

  • Our primary focus remains on animals in industrial food systems.
  • Producing powerful animal photojournalism that sparks change.
  • Collaborating with advocates and organizations to amplify their impact.
  • Providing free and accessible visuals for campaigns and education.
  • Maintaining transparency, compassion, and excellence in everything we do.

Explore We Animals’ Theory of Change and 2026-2028 Strategic Plan.

Every image we release, every story we tell, and every campaign we strengthen is powered by you. To the donors who fuel this work, the partners who amplify it, the advocates who carry it forward, and the photojournalists who risk so much to make animals visible: Thank you.

We’d like to extend a special thanks to Neysa Colizzi, The Mission Motor, and the We Animals board of directors for their help in articulating our Theory of Change!