The concepts of One Health and One Welfare have gained prominence in North American animal sheltering and protection. While One Health broadly focuses on the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health, particularly concerning infectious diseases, One Welfare expands this to encompass the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being, and the environment, including societal and mental health. In animal sheltering, One Welfare is applied to positive interventions like community veterinary outreach and to address negative situations like animal hoarding. Existing research often uses One Health/One Welfare to highlight human-animal bonds and reports service utilization metrics, such as the number of animals sterilized or the amount of pet food distributed. However, there's a gap in understanding the actual work involved for frontline staff in implementing these initiatives, particularly concerning multi-agency collaboration. This study aims to address this gap by employing institutional ethnography to describe the work practices and challenges encountered in such initiatives.

The literature review highlights the increasing use of One Health and One Welfare frameworks in animal sheltering and protection research. Studies have examined the role of access to veterinary care, community veterinary services, and initiatives like Pets for Life in supporting vulnerable pet owners. Researchers have focused on quantifiable metrics such as service utilization and the benefits of maintaining the human-animal bond. However, the existing literature lacks detailed exploration of the actual work processes of frontline staff in implementing One Welfare initiatives and the challenges of multi-agency collaboration. The authors point to the absence of research into the everyday realities of frontline workers in navigating the complexities of supporting both animals and their vulnerable owners.

This research employed institutional ethnography, using a mixed-methods approach over eight months in 2019. The primary research partner was the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA). Data collection involved ethnographic observation of animal protection officers (ride-alongs), interviews (informal and focused), and document analysis (physical and digital texts, including forms, protocols, and laws). Four virtual focus groups in 2021 with BC SPCA personnel (officers, shelter staff, administrators) were also conducted to explore staff experiences and perspectives. Data analysis followed institutional ethnographic principles, involving iterative analysis of observations, interviews, and documents. Key analytical techniques included writing accounts and indexing to track work processes and identify tensions (disjunctures) between institutional intentions and everyday practices. Pseudonyms were used, and data were altered to protect participant confidentiality.

The study revealed that "providing alternative measures" – support strategies outside legal intervention – is a core component of One Welfare implementation. This involved providing pet supplies, referring owners to low-cost veterinary care, and offering emergency animal boarding. While these measures align with the BC SPCA's strategic plan to keep people and animals together, the work is highly demanding and time-consuming. Officers face uncertainty in achieving positive outcomes, particularly with vulnerable owners. Repeated visits often yielded short-lived improvements, and the lack of consistent solutions created frustration. The study showcased instances where officers used their judgment and discretion to navigate situations that did not strictly meet legal criteria for intervention, but still posed welfare concerns for the animals involved. Difficulties included coordinating with human social services staff due to differing expectations and institutional processes. Misunderstandings and miscommunications often hindered effective collaboration and resulted in less-than-ideal outcomes for the animals. The analysis of the "Alternative Measures Programme Animal Protection Officer Request" form further highlighted the increasing institutionalization of these alternative approaches.

This ethnographic study provides critical insights into the challenges of implementing One Welfare initiatives in animal sheltering and protection. The findings demonstrate that while the goal of keeping people and their animals together is laudable, the reality of frontline work is complex and fraught with challenges. The lack of standardized procedures, the unpredictable nature of interventions, and the difficulties in collaborating with other agencies create substantial obstacles. The study also highlights the emotional toll on officers when interventions fail to produce sustained improvements or, worse, result in animal suffering. This underscores the need for more research into the effectiveness of different intervention strategies, improved inter-agency collaboration, and better support mechanisms for frontline workers.

This study provides a valuable, empirically grounded account of the daily work involved in implementing One Welfare initiatives. It highlights the complexity and challenges faced by frontline staff in balancing legal mandates with the goal of supporting both animals and their often-vulnerable owners. Future research should focus on evaluating the success of various interventions, facilitating the sharing of best practices, and exploring the perspectives and experiences of all stakeholders involved. Further ethnographic research with supportive housing managers and social workers could reveal the barriers to collaboration and identify opportunities for improvement.

The study's focus on the BC SPCA may limit the generalizability of findings to other organizations. The small number of participants in the focus groups may not represent the full range of experiences within the BC SPCA. While efforts were made to protect confidentiality, the qualitative nature of the study could make it challenging to eliminate any risk of identifying individual participants.