I'm interested in getting a better grasp on some animal welfare issues. I think, and am unsure, that hiring a researcher would help me do this more effectively (via comparative advantage).
My budget is small; probably less than 1000$ over the next year. But, I think this could still be worth a researcher's time since they know how to find resources, etc. Where should I look for qualified candidates?
Good point about reaching out to people involved in animal-specific groups.
I know of EAs who work at Faunalytics and Animal Ethics, so they may be good places to try too.
Animal Ethics explicitly offers to help people with animal-welfare related research / put them in touch with researchers in the field, so they may be receptive to questions.