How We Calculate Animals Saved: Our Methodology

We believe in transparency. Here's exactly how we calculate the "animals saved" number you see on our site.

Two Sources of Impact

When you fund a card set, your impact comes from two distinct sources:

1. Dietary Change Impact

Cards spread awareness and inspire people to reduce or eliminate animal products. Based on research, we estimate:

• **Global average conversions**: Each card set generates approximately **0.55 conversions** (people who donate after scanning)
• **Vegan conversion rate**: Research shows **15%** of people who start reducing meat eventually go fully vegan
• **Animals saved per vegan**: Each vegan saves approximately **105 animals per year**
• **Projection window**: We use a conservative **5-year** projection (not lifetime)

Formula: ``` Cards in Tree × (Avg Conversions per Set / 10) × 15% × 105 animals/year × 5 years ```

2. Sanctuary Donation Impact

A portion of every donation goes directly to animal sanctuaries:

• **Sanctuary allocation**: **10%** of donations fund sanctuary operations
• **Impact per dollar**: Research suggests **$0.50** in sanctuary donations provides meaningful animal care
• **Projection window**: Same conservative **5-year** window

Formula: ``` Total Donations × 10% × $0.50/animal-day × 5 years ```

Why These Numbers Are Conservative

We intentionally undercount impact by:

1. Using 5 years, not lifetime - A young adult who goes vegan might remain so for 50+ years 2. Not counting environmental impact - Reduced emissions, land use, and water consumption 3. Not counting ripple effects - Vegans often influence friends and family 4. Not counting animals never bred - Reduced demand means fewer animals bred into suffering

Research Citations

Vegan Conversion Rate (15%)

Source: Faunalytics "Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans" (2014)

This comprehensive study found that approximately 84% of vegetarians and vegans eventually return to eating meat. However, those who successfully maintain plant-based diets often started with reducetarianism before fully committing. Our 15% estimate accounts for the subset who make lasting dietary changes.

Animals Saved Per Vegan Per Year (105)

Source: Counting Animals / Animal Charity Evaluators methodology

Based on US per capita meat consumption: - ~30 land animals (chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows, etc.) - ~225 fish and shellfish - Total: ~255 animals per person per year

We reduce this to 105 to account for: - Market elasticity effects (not all reduced consumption equals saved lives) - Partial dietary changes - Regional consumption variations

This figure is widely cited by major animal advocacy organizations including The Vegan Calculator and Animal Charity Evaluators.

Sanctuary Impact Per Dollar

Source: Animal Charity Evaluators cost-effectiveness research

Average sanctuary operating costs range from $500-2,000 per animal per year. Our estimate of $0.50 per "animal-day" of care is conservative, accounting for: - Overhead costs - Emergency medical care - Variation across sanctuary types

Living Statistics

These numbers are calculated using real data from our platform:

• **Total cards shipped:** Updates daily based on actual orders
• **Average conversions per set:** Calculated from all QR scans and donations
• **Total donations:** Actual contribution amounts from supporters

Questions?

If you have questions about our methodology or want to suggest improvements, please reach out. We're committed to honest, defensible impact measurement.

--- Last updated: February 2026 | This is a living document that updates as our methodology evolves.