FAQs

Expertise for Animals is a nonprofit organization founded by Eva Seifert, Marietheres Reinke, and Sophie-Madlin Langner. Stephanie Kowalski expanded the team to four members in September 2023. We work together as equals and make decisions according to the consensus principle. We share responsibility for the success of the organization.

The focus is on a grassroots democratic organization and coordination of the company, and we do not want to build rigid, but competence- and project-based hierarchies.

‍

We advise organizations and advocates within animal movements. We work on topics related to nonhuman animals that are affected by direct and indirect actions of humans. We prepare reports and analysis, promote (interdisciplinary) networking and organize events on relevant topics. As a non-profit organization, we also provide self-initiated knowledge and information services on our website.

‍

Expertise for Animals is one of the first organizations in the young field of consulting on animal-related topics. Instead of carrying out our own campaigns and petitions, we provide other organizations and actors with scientific knowledge on animal welfare. Scientific knowledge plays a central role in debates on nonhuman animals.

Our clients benefit from our professional support. Through the knowledge provided, they can work more informed and effective. The seriousness and validity of the campaigns, petitions, lobbying and educational work as well as their activities in animal law  increase through thoroughly researched and prepared information. Read more about our unique approach.

‍

There are currently no jobs available at Expertise for Animals.

‍

We have dealt intensively with the question of which organizational form suits us and our activities best. In the end, we decided in favor of the non-profit Limited Liability Company (gGmbH), as this legal form combines non-profit status with gainful employment.

‍

We place great emphasis on high-quality knowledge management and develop professional knowledge through thorough research, literature work and analyses. In addition, expert interviews can contribute to our know-how. We want to integrate quality management and evaluation into our work.

‍

Please contact us here or send us an email to: info@expertiseforanimals.com

‍

Because of the overlaps (intersectionality and multidimensionality of different topics), we constantly come into contact with different forms of discrimination, both in our work and in our own lives. We perceive this and want to take it into account in the best possible way. Our approach and focus is on nonhuman animals, as we have built up the greatest professional knowledge in this area through our training and work experience.

‍

Our values are the foundation of our organization, working method and -culture. We have formulated seven core values:

‍

● We take an anti-speciesist position. We see our work as part of movements that reject all forms of oppression of humans and nonhuman animals and strive for a free and fair society for all.

‍

● Our aim is to understand the perspectives of nonhuman animals in the best possible way in order to represent them in their interests.

‍

● We work critically, knowledge- and source-based.

‍

● We constantly educate ourselves and expand our skills and knowledge. This means that we are always at the cutting edge of science.

‍

● We see networking and exchange with others, also interdisciplinary, as an enrichment and essential part of our work, so that we strive for mutual support and joint projects.

‍

● We pay attention to an inclusive, non-discriminatory and barrier-free organisation and communication.

‍

● We strive to reflect, accept criticism and practice self-criticism, especially in places where we produce and reproduce discriminatory structures in our work.

‍

We want to support various agents in their work with our expertise. In the animal movements there are many different views and debates, some of which have been conducted for decades, about the best way and the intended goal. We support all actors, even if they have chosen a different path, as long as this is not at the expense of humans and non-human animals. We exclude working with agents and organizations that show or represent racist, sexist, anti-trans, speciesist and other discriminatory behavior or ideas.

‍

Photos of non-human animals are a powerful tool to educate about their living conditions and to represent their interests. Pictures that document mistreatment and problems play a special role. The photos bridge the distance between humans and the affected non-human animals. At the same time, the use of such photographs exists in a field of tension.

On the one hand, the images provide insights into the lives and experiences of oppressed beings. They carry their voice and story into the public. If the images and accompanying texts are placed in the context of criticizing exploitation and existing conditions, the use can be in the sense of those affected.

On the other hand, the use of the images is linked to questions relevant to animal ethics. Non-human animals can not consent to the recordings and their further use. Do photographs showing suffering, injured, sick, and dying nonhuman animals affect their integrity, dignity, autonomy, privacy, and rights? Do the images sensationalize and stereotype animal suffering and their vulnerability? Does the depiction of suffering mask their individual personhood? Do the images reinforce the problem that nonhuman animals are denied control over their own lives?

We open ourselves to this debate and reflect and discuss the use of such images. As a first step, we address the tension in the context of this text. In a further step, we decided not to post images showing suffering, injured, sick and dying non-human animals directly visible on our website. It requires a conscious agreement by the readers to display the sensitive images. We are developing further approaches on how to deal with the topic and are grateful for hints and exchange.

‍

Yes, as Expertise for Animals is a non-profit organization, you can claim the donation in your income tax return (§10b EstG).

‍

You can stop your regular donation at any time. To do so, simply write us an email to spenden@expertiseforanimals.com. Your regular payments will then cease.

‍

You can increase or decrease the amount of your regular donation at any time. To do so, simply email us to spenden@expertiseforanimals.com. Let us know what new amount you would like to donate regularly to Expertise for Animals and from when it should be changed.

‍

Expertise for Animals offers well-researched content that animal advocacy organizations use in their work. Our information offerings are also intended for the general public to gain insight into human-animal interactions. We rely on your donation to continue to provide these free of charge.

‍

Expertise for Animals publishes an annual transparency report showing how we have used the donations.

‍

Transparency is an important concern for us, which we always keep in mind in our work. For this reason, we have joined the "Transparent Civil Society Initiative” (Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft) and provide information on the 10 points for maximum transparency. You can find more detailed explanations in the other points of the "Transparency" section.

‍

Name, Address, Registered office and Year of establishment

● Name: Expertise for Animals gGmbH

● Registered office: Berlin

● Address: Oberlandstraße 26-35, 12099 Berlin

● Year of establishment: 2021

● Contact person: Sophie-Madlin Langner, s.langner@expertiseforanimals.com

‍

Statute

● You can find our complete statute here.

‍

Goals and Values

● Learn more about our goals and values on the "About us" page.

‍

Personnel structure

The Expertise for Animals team consists of four people:

● Eva Seifert is a founding member, partner (49%) and managing director

● Marietheres Reinke is a founding member, partner (49%) and managing director

● Sophie-Madlin Langner is a founding member, shareholder (2%) and executive employee

● Stephanie Kowalski is an employee

All four team members work 30 hours per week at the same salary.

‍

Funding

Expertise for Animals is funded partly by paid work and partly by donations and grants.

Previous grants that have accounted for more than ten percent of annual income:

● Movement Grant from Animal Charity Evaluator: € 26,548 in 2022

● Animal Welfare Fund from Effective Altruism Fund: € 62,860 in 2022

● Animal Welfare Fund from Effective Altruism Fund: € 85,305 in 2023

● Karuna Foundation: € 46.689,70 in 2023

You can also find information on the origin and use of funds in our annual activity reports. These are currently only available in German. In the future there will also be english versions.

Yes, Expertise for Animals is a non-profit organization.

The tax office in Berlin Charlottenburg (“Finanzamt für Körperschaften”) certifies Expertise for Animals as a non-profit organization with the tax number 27 / 613 / 06125 F33. The notice pursuant to Section 60a (1) AO on the separate determination of compliance with the statutory requirements pursuant to Sections 51, 59, 60 and 61 AO was last received on 16.12.2021.

The tax ID of Expertise for Animals gGmbH is: 27/613/06125 at the Berlin Tax Office (“Finanzamt für Körperschaften”).

You can find the activity reports of Expertise for Animals here.  

In our activity reports, you will also find information about the sources and uses of funds at Expertise for Animals. They are currently only available in German.