What Volunteers Should Know About NDAs
Why Some Animal Rescues Use Them and When It’s a Red Flag
If you're considering volunteering with an animal rescue and they ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), it's important to pause and ask why. While NDAs are common in corporate settings, their use in the nonprofit rescue world is much less standard and in some cases, a potential red flag.
What Is an NDA?
A non-disclosure agreement is a legal contract that restricts what you can say about an organization’s operations, people, or practices. In theory, NDAs are meant to protect sensitive or private information. But in the animal welfare world, their use should be extremely limited and very specific.
When Might an NDA Make Sense?
There are rare circumstances in which a narrowly tailored NDA may be appropriate for volunteers. These include:
Ongoing cruelty investigations where the rescue is working with law enforcement and confidentiality is legally required.
Biosecurity or safety risks, especially in large-scale rescue operations involving disease outbreaks or sensitive animal locations.
Protection of private data, such as donor information or the addresses of foster homes and adopters.
In these cases, a well-written NDA should only cover specific information relevant to those concerns and should never restrict your ability to speak up about unethical treatment or unsafe conditions.
When an NDA Should Concern You
Unfortunately, some rescues misuse NDAs to silence volunteers, cover up problems, or control the narrative. Be wary if an NDA:
Prohibits you from talking about animal care, medical practices, or euthanasia policies.
Prohibits you from talking to other volunteers or vendors.
Uses vague or overly broad language that could be interpreted to mean “you can’t say anything, ever.”
Threatens you with legal consequences if you raise concerns, even to other staff, donors, or the public.
Is presented with no explanation or you’re discouraged from reviewing it with a lawyer.
These types of NDAs often point to a culture of secrecy and fear, not ethical rescue work.
Transparency Is the Standard
Ethical, well-run rescues typically do not ask volunteers to sign NDAs. Instead, they may provide:
A simple confidentiality policy to protect adopter privacy or sensitive medical cases.
Clear volunteer expectations around safety, social media, and professionalism.
An open-door culture where concerns are welcomed, not punished.
A good rescue should be proud of its practices, not trying to hide them.
What To Do If You're Asked To Sign One
If you’re presented with an NDA, ask:
Why is this needed?
What exactly am I agreeing not to share?
Am I allowed to speak up if I see mistreatment or neglect?
Can I review this with an attorney?
If the answers aren’t clear or if you feel pressured, walk away. No legitimate rescue should ask you to sacrifice your voice or your values in exchange for helping animals.
Already Signed an Onerous NDA? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’ve already signed an NDA that now feels overreaching, intimidating, or unethical, you're not alone and you’re not powerless.
First, Review What You Signed
Read the NDA carefully (preferably with a lawyer) to understand exactly what it restricts.
Look for vague or sweeping language, like prohibitions on “disparagement,” “unauthorized communication,” or “confidential information” without clearly defining what that means.
See if there are time limits or geographic restrictions, some NDAs expire, and others may not be enforceable in your state.
Know Your Rights
Even if you signed an NDA, you still have rights:
You can usually report animal abuse or neglect to law enforcement or regulatory agencies. NDAs cannot override legal mandates or public interest.
Whistleblower protections in many states may apply, especially if you’re reporting unsafe, illegal, or unethical conduct.
In many cases, courts won’t enforce NDAs that are overly broad, coercive, or intended to suppress transparency in a nonprofit setting.
What You Can Talk About
NDAs may bar you from sharing private donor info or internal emails, but they typically can’t prevent you from:
Describing your personal experiences as a volunteer.
Speaking in general terms about what you witnessed, especially when advocating for animals.
Sharing facts already in the public domain, such as reports from public inspections or posts made by the organization itself.
Speaking with other staff and volunteers.
If in doubt, a lawyer can help you navigate the line between protected speech and legal risk.
If You're Being Threatened
If the organization has threatened legal action because you spoke up:
Document everything. Save emails, texts, or other communications.
Don’t engage directly, get legal support. This means do not respond on social media or privately.
Contact an advocacy group like Litigation for Animal Welfare. We can help connect you to legal resources and evaluate whether your NDA is enforceable at all.
Remember: Protecting Animals Shouldn’t Come With a Gag Order. If your rescue experience came with intimidation, secrecy, or fear, you didn’t fail, they did. You have every right to expect transparency, ethics, and accountability in animal welfare work. And if you're ready to speak out, we're here to support you. At Litigation for Animal Welfare, we believe in transparency, accountability, and advocacy. If you've been asked to sign an NDA that feels wrong or have been silenced after witnessing abuse or neglect, we want to hear your story. Sometimes the people who rescue animals, need rescuing too.