Good, Betta, Best Countering Criticism of Animal Care Mike Bober - - PDF document

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Good, Betta, Best

Countering Criticism of Animal Care

Mike Bober President & CEO, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council

Numbers Game

10,000 1.5 million 70% 80%

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Numbers Game

10,000 – “puppy mills” in the US (HSUS) 1.5 million – animals euthanized in shelters each year (ASPCA) 70% ‐ mortality rate among “exotic” pet distributors (HSUS) 80% ‐ mortality rate of marine fish prior to sale (WWF) Q: What do these numbers have in common?

A Matter of Trust

A: They’re not true, but they’re shared by trusted sources.

Pet Industry Perceptions Survey, LRW, March 2018

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A Matter of Trust

A: They’re not true, but they’re shared by trusted sources. In some cases, they rely on outdated statistics. In others, they take an unverified comment and extrapolate. Still others are shared so many times that their source and support are impossible to track down.

A Matter of Trust

In all cases, they “sound” true. They reinforce previously held beliefs. They confirm suspicions. They justify prior actions.

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Minds and Hearts

“The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations…. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.”

John Adams, February 13, 1818

Nat Geo Website Article

• Oct. 30, 2018:

“…Critics argue that such popularity and misconceptions about their care and biology can lead to them being some of the most commonly mistreated fish in the pet trade.”

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Baggage Handler Video

November 2018 Covered by news outlets including:

• Fox News
• Inc.com
• Local ABC, NBC affiliates
• Businessinsider.com

Proposed Class Action Suit

“This impact litigation case is part of a nationwide effort to permanently stop the sale

• f mini betta aquariums under 1.5 gallons as

they are currently advertised… Defendant knows that mini betta aquariums under 1.5 gallons cannot adequately and healthily provide long term housing for a betta fish but defendant continues to sell these types

• f aquariums for this purpose solely to generate

profits.”

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PETA Campaign

• Website content
• Social media
• Earned media content
• Storefront protests

PETA Protests

• Oct. 27: San Diego, CA
• Nov. 8: Chicago, IL
• Nov. 25: Phoenix, AZ
• Dec. 10: Atlanta, GA
• Dec. 15: Mountain View, CA

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PETA Student Outreach

“Place it where someone will find it (and where you have permission to leave it). Try local coffee shops, car washes, or your dorm— wherever you think would be best.”

But We’ve Got the Facts!

“What reason does, rather, is help us justify our beliefs and actions to others, convince them through argumentation, and evaluate the justifications and arguments that others address to us.”

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Then How Do You Respond?

Beliefs Trusted Sources Values

Pet Industry Response

• Nov. 28, 2018:

“…we are concerned by the numerous misrepresentations in the piece which paint an inaccurate and misleading picture of the way the responsible pet trade treats bettas.”

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Find the Facts

March 26, 2014:

“This is not to say that I encourage our readers to give their bettas the “smallest tank possible,” but to simply acknowledge that small spaces do work, in the right hands, with proper care, and the fish most certainly will be healthy and, with a little bit of snark, I dare say they may even be “happy”.”

Show AND Tell

Identify your values Communicate your values Suit the action to the words Be consistent

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Enlist Allies

Trusted authorities (vets, researchers) Satisfied customers Opinion leaders PIJAC

For more information

• n any of these issues
• r to become a PIJAC member

Mike Bober (202) 452‐1525 x1060 mbober@pijac.org