This study uses institutional ethnography to examine the everyday work involved in One Welfare initiatives within animal sheltering and protection. The researchers explored how frontline practices, coordinated by institutional processes, support people struggling to care for their animals due to various limitations. Methods included ethnographic observation, document analysis, focus groups, and interviews with staff and officers. Findings reveal that while officers provide essential support (supplies, veterinary referrals, emergency boarding), this work is time-consuming, often repeated without lasting effect, and constrained by owners' circumstances. The lack of standardized procedures and inter-agency collaboration hinders effective intervention. The study highlights the need for best practice sharing and further ethnographic analysis to strengthen support for both animals and people.

Katherine E. Koralesky, Janet M. Rankin, David Fraser