Human–Wildlife Interactions 12(2):293–298, Fall 2018 • digitalcommons.usu.edu/hwi The Back Page Wildlife as pets: reshaping public percep- tions through targeted communication
Rosanna M. Vail, Jack H. Berryman Institute, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, 5230 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5230, USA [email protected]
Keeping wildlife as pets has become an avoiding wild or exotic pets provide valuable increasingly normalized idea in domestic insights that serve as the first step toward settings. Whether compelled to rescue or adopt effective communication: understanding the wildlife, humans continue to seek interactions audience (Trigg et al. 2015, Moorhouse et al. with wild animals as pets. Often, this forced 2016). By taking this step, wildlife professionals coexistence can lead to unforeseen and may better connect with wild pet owner unfortunate consequences for both humans and personas, perceptions, knowledge gaps, and wildlife. needs through targeted messaging that both These consequences can range from mild clarifies information and convinces the public annoyances such as excessive noise to more toward safer actions. severe risks to human health and safety, including attacks on people, altercations with Who is the audience? other pets, or the transmission of zoonotic The key strategies in targeted communication diseases (Conover and Vail 2014). Additionally, are to understand the audience and prepare concerns about animal welfare increase if wild communications that lead them toward the pets fall short of humans’ expectations or ability desired knowledge and action. Knowing the as caretakers, which can lead to rehoming or reasons behind the audience desires to keep neglect (Grant et al. 2017). wildlife as pets is as important as knowing the Wildlife managers, policy makers, and need itself. Studies that have analyzed public other professionals develop best management perceptions of wild pets in connection with practices (BMPs) to promulgate policies and respondent personality traits (e.g., Vonk et laws based on the best science available, al. 2016), as well as current news and trends intended to protect both the public and wildlife (Shuttlewood et al. 2016) endorse this approach. from negative interactions and potentially dire Several notable target audience personas have outcomes (Messmer 2000). However, manager emerged because of this research. communications about the risks associated with wildlife interactions—whether generally Persona #1: The Follower – emulating or as domestic pets—are often ignored by wild pet owners in popular culture the public until conflicts arise. Managers Demand for wildlife as pets has increased are keenly aware of this situation; thus, they both in the United States and abroad thanks to are constantly searching for more effective viral, story-based narratives that pique public communication strategies to deliver timely and interest through the power of social media appropriate information to the public about (Fidino et al. 2018). For example, Pumpkin the the consequences of keeping wildlife as pets. Raccoon, of Instagram fame, has a following of One approach for conveying this information 1.5 million people. After surviving a fall from to those who are uninformed, misinformed, a tree, the recuperated raccoon (Procyon lotor) or reluctant to comply is to develop made international headlines as the endearing communication strategies based on what we new member of her adopted family of humans already know about this segment of the public. and dogs in the Bahamas (CBS News 2015). Studies that have explored pet owner Although raccoons are not the pictures of perceptions as well as motives for keeping or sanitary houseguests, the sensationalized social 294 Human–Wildlife Interactions 12(2)
media personality—heavily influenced by her point, no longer be helpless. On the other human owner’s personality—depicted life with hand, this audience may not be cognizant that wildlife through a lighthearted lens. Social media their rescue attempts, while safe enough for followers are only exposed to selected content, humans, may be harmful to wildlife. Upon which normalizes wildlife as a participatory finding wildlife that appears to be abandoned member of the family. Thus, a wild pet becomes and helpless, especially baby animals, humans a welcomed form of entertainment that people will touch or move them to a perceived safer desire to follow and emulate. Fictional characters location or go in search of its mother (http:// such as Ranger Rick, another beloved raccoon, www.wildawareutah.org). For this public also contribute to the wild animals in popular demographic, rescuing wildlife—whether in culture phenomenon (https://rangerrick.org). idea or actuality—often overrides potential In the world of cinema, captivated audiences dangers to personal health and safety or to the have exhibited what is termed the Harry Potter animal. This demonstrates the knowledge gap effect—a desire to keep wild-caught owls as between wanting to help wildlife and being domestic pets—after the release of movies and aware of appropriate practices, methods, or books of the same name (Nijman and Nekaris resources to achieve the goal. 2017). Demand for the trade of owls as pets in Indonesia has increased to the point that Persona #3: The Individual – reinforcing conservation efforts are needed to protect less image or status with wild pets abundant species if the trend continues (Nijman People who seek wild or exotic pets may and Nekaris 2017). While audiences may be be motivated by the need to express their excited to have a pet well-known in stories individuality or uniqueness to stand out from of wizardry, there is an emerging disconnect the crowd, as the pet often becomes symbolic of between public following of popular culture and its owner’s self-image or perceived social status its unintended consequences to wildlife. (Veevers 2016). This audience may utilize pets as facilitators for increased social interaction; Persona #2: The Hero – rescuing and pets also can serve as the individual’s preferred adopting helpless, injured wildlife companions in place of interaction with other Among the most compelling reasons to keep humans (Veevers 2016). wildlife as pets is to rescue an injured animal and Many people identify with certain attributes provide it with an improved quality of life and of exotic species but remain unaware of how a good home—the human’s home. In the early the species will behave in captivity or the 2000s, a woman rescued a baby feral hog (Sus ethical responsibilities built into meeting the scrofa) whose mother had been killed. The new animal’s physical or other needs. Often, this household pet, aptly named Babe, lived the life audience holds misguided expectations of the of a domestic dog in an outdoor kennel. When experience of owning an exotic pet, unprepared she grew larger, Babe attempted an escape by with the information, ability, or willingness to charging past the woman’s teenage daughter carry through with proper care on a permanent during feeding. Fortunately, the feral hog only basis (Grant et al. 2017). This can lead to neglect escaped into the enclosed backyard, and no or abuse of the exotic animal or increased humans or wildlife were injured (A. Sambueno, abandonment in animal shelters that struggle to resident, personal communication). This is not care for or place the pet in another home. always the case with so-called rescued wildlife Part of the exotic pet owner knowledge gap in domestic settings, and many pet owners are may stem from lack of information or receiving not prepared for the possibility and likelihood misinformation or false advertising from exotic of wild pet-induced danger (Trigg et al. 2015). pet retailers (Warwick et al. 2018). State laws Situations of humans helping wildlife-turned- often specify which species are allowed as pets pets that end without incident can create a false and require owners to obtain exotic pet permits, sense of security for humans. Often, the goal of but pet owner perceptions and preparedness saving injured or helpless wildlife overshadows remain difficult if not impossible to fully the reality that the wild animal may, at a certain assess. This demographic of pet owner may The Back Page • Vail 295
Figure 1. Comparison of the factors influencing audience actions and outcomes relating to wildlife as pets. Strategic technical communication along with research and wildlife laws work to develop a process of information to action (left) that is more beneficial than an alternative process heavily influenced by percep- tion and unreliable content (right).
not understand the commitment or gravity easy to understand. One strategy that may be of keeping their chosen wild pet, or they may underused is keyword research to understand renege on their commitment when the going the words and phrases people enter into search gets tough or they begin to lose interest. engines and what information they are finding or hoping to find. If people cannot effectively Targeted communication and quickly locate the expert information strategies they seek online about any given wildlife- Wildlife managers, particularly those with related topic, they may abandon their search— communication expertise, need to continue thereby not acquiring information—or become bridging the gap between the public’s desires misinformed through less reliable sources that for wild pets and the necessary awareness feed into their perceptions of wildlife. Keeping and buy-in of appropriate (i.e., safe, ethical, the right information in the wrong place in and legal) practices that protect both wildlife the online environment results in a disconnect and humans. These professionals can shape between the public and the information. communication strategies that appeal to target One example of the right information in the demographics, and in doing so, they play a key right place is the Wild Aware Utah project, role to recognize, promote, and reward public a collaboration between the Utah Division action that can reduce conflicts between humans of Wildlife Resources and Utah’s Hogle Zoo and wild pets. These strategies can work in (http://www.wildawareutah.org). With >6,000 tandem with scientific research and wildlife visitors to the zoo per day and >10,000 hits policy efforts to develop a healthy process per month to the website, including a link to leading to audience awareness and preferred the Wild Aware Utah website from the zoo’s action, as opposed to societal influences leading homepage, visitors can become more aware of to perceptions or misguided actions (Figure 1). best practices for interacting with wildlife. Wild Aware Utah informs the public about how to Strategy #1: Increase access to avoid human–wildlife conflicts and what to information do if conflicts do arise. Collaboration with the Using technology as a primary mode of zoo greatly increases the public’s exposure to communication means that information can reliable information from wildlife management and should be easy to search, easy to find, and professionals. 296 Human–Wildlife Interactions 12(2)
Strategy #2: Make data digestible for influence public views and actions, but often public consumption project budgets do not allow for external expertise Part of making information more accessible or services. In such cases, wildlife professionals also means writing in a way that can be should consider continuing education options understood at a glance and by those who are to expand expertise in technical communication not in the scientific community. Statistical data strategies that can be generally applied to their or dense and lengthy content that are presented own field. in a more digestible manner suitable for the general public can convey critical information in Strategy #4: Empower people to a more approachable way. Using headings and participate subheadings, especially on a lengthy web page, Encouraging the public to become active helps readers scan for information. Placing the participants in wildlife-related issues and most critical information above the fold of a conversations within their communities greatly website also increases the chances that people increases their awareness of and investment will acquire the facts even if they do not scroll in wild pet laws and safe practices. Public through the entire page. forums or online spaces for the public to ask questions of wildlife experts (e.g., Q&A with Strategy #3: Compel and convince, wildlife managers, exotic pet veterinarians, carefully animal behavior experts) serve to disseminate Although wildlife professionals—particularly information as well as provide insight about those in government roles—have the ethical what the general public wants and needs to responsibility to present accurate and unbiased know. This could, in turn, inform the messaging information, they also have the opportunity to of future communications and encourage more use language to encourage positive human– accurate word-of-mouth information as the wildlife interactions and viewpoints. Decker et public goes on to tell others what they learn. al. (2012) stress the importance of word choice in risk communications to convey messages Strategy #5: Provide an enticing call to of risk to the public (in their case, relating to action zoonoses) without evoking negative feelings All communications to the public must about wildlife or causing misguided snap include a clear and distinct call to action, which judgments. directs them toward the desired outcome— When presenting technical information, whether the completion of a particular action communicators can appeal to target audiences or a shift in their perspective about a wildlife by using modes of persuasion: ethos (ethical issue. Wildlife professionals must consider appeal), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos not only what they want the public to know, (logical appeal). To convince public audiences but also what they want the public to do with toward safer, legal practices relating to wild the information. They must present a clear pet ownership and interactions, wildlife and functional pathway (especially online) to professionals can: 1) demonstrate ethos by achieve the goal as well as wording that entices establishing themselves as a longstanding the reader to want to take the next step. and reliable source of information grounded An example of an enticing call to action is a in research and facts; 2) demonstrate pathos website about injured and orphaned wildlife through compelling stories that get to the heart through the Southwest Region of the U.S. of audience needs, evoke emotions, and incite Fish and Wildlife Service ([USFWS] 2016). action; and 3) demonstrate logos by emphasizing In addition to informing the public about the the “why,” “so what,” or explanation behind misconceptions and safest approach with necessary but potentially unpopular policies seemingly abandoned wildlife (i.e., leaving and practices. them alone), the website provides the contact Collaborations with professional com- information of licensed wildlife rehabilitators municators who are equipped to generate by state to encourage the public to report strategic, audience-centric messaging can greatly wildlife that may need help. Going a step The Back Page • Vail 297 further, the website invites the reader to Acknowledgments become licensed wildlife rehabilitators, thus I thank T. Messmer, editor-in-chief of Human– becoming part of the solution and providing Wildlife Interactions, for valuable feedback that a path toward fulfilling the public’s need to be greatly improved this manuscript. Special more directly involved in assisting injured or thanks to R. Orr for adopting an orphaned feral orphaned wildlife (e.g., see audience persona hog and countless other animals, which largely #2). The Wild Aware Utah website and many inspired this paper. others offer a similar approach. Literature cited The path forward CBS News. 2015. Pumpkin the raccoon is just your The skill of making complex ideas accessible average dog. CBS News, October 7, 2015, to non-experts—and thereby informing and CBS Corporation, New York, New York, USA, influencing the public to action—fills a critical
Environmental Hazards 14:236–251. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2016. Helping in- jured or orphaned wildlife. U.S. Fish and Wild- life Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., USA,
Rosanna M. Vail is the managing editor of Human–Wildlife Interactions journal, a publica- tion of the Jack H. Berryman Institute for Wildlife Damage Management. She holds a B.A. degree in English from Southern Oregon Univer- sity and an M.S. degree in technical communication from Utah State University. She co-authored the book Human Diseases from Wildlife (CRC Press), awarded by The Wildlife Society as Book Publication of the Year for 2015. Her professional background also includes >12 years in marketing communications.
Contribute to The Back Page
The Back Page is a feature of HWI that offers authors and readers the opportunity to present insights, experiences, thoughts, and concerns about contemporary and emerging wildlife management or human– wildlife topics. To inquire about a submission, contact Terry Messmer at [email protected].