Animals on Instagram - Costumed dogs and tigers in Lamborghinis | DW Documentary

Key Concepts:

• Petfluencing: The practice of creating and sharing content featuring pets on social media for financial gain.
• Animal Welfare: The well-being of animals, considering their physical and psychological health.
• Torture Breeding: Breeding practices that intentionally create or exacerbate health problems in animals.
• Species-Appropriate Behavior: Behaviors that are natural and essential for an animal's well-being.
• Red Flags: Signs that an animal is uncomfortable, stressed, or in distress.
• Algorithm: A set of rules that social media platforms use to rank content.

Petfluencing: The Rise of Animal Content and Its Impact

• Definition: Petfluencing is a growing trend where pet owners create content featuring their animals on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, often generating income through advertising deals and sponsorships.
• Examples: The video highlights various petfluencers, including Hummide Albu, who posts videos of himself with wild animals like tigers and chimpanzees, and Maria, who earns money by posting photos and videos of her Dalmatians.

The Business of Petfluencing

• Earning Potential: Petfluencers can earn significant income, with some making four or five figures a month.
• Revenue Streams: Revenue is generated through various means, including sponsored posts, affiliate marketing (e.g., receiving a fee or voucher for promoting products), and direct advertising deals.
• Management Agencies: Some petfluencers, like Maria, are represented by management agencies that organize advertising deals with companies like online pet food stores.
• Example: Maria gets a voucher for the store and a fee for posting content.

Animal Welfare Concerns and Ethical Considerations

• Legal Vacuum: Petfluencing operates in a legal vacuum, meaning there are no specific regulations governing the treatment of animals in online content creation.
• Animal Welfare Act (Germany): While the German Animal Welfare Act requires a permit for commercial work with animals, this does not apply to petfluencers.
• Problematic Content: Vipasa from the World Society for the Protection of Animals identifies several issues with petfluencer content, including:
  • Glorifying and trivializing animals with obvious or potential defects.
  • Ridicule of animals.
  • Portrayal of torture breeds (e.g., naked cats with missing tactile hairs).
  • Promotion of unhealthy breeding practices (e.g., teacup dogs).
• Examples:
  • Naked cats with missing tactile hairs, which restricts their behavior.
  • Teacup dogs, which are bred to be extremely small and often suffer from health problems.
  • Hedgehogs being used as travel bloggers, despite being nocturnal animals.

The Role of Social Media Users and Platforms

• Impact of Interactions: Every interaction on social media (likes, comments, shares) benefits the algorithm and increases the reach of a post.
• Call to Action: Vipasa advises against liking or commenting on content that depicts animal suffering, whether positive or negative.
• Reporting Content: Users are encouraged to report problematic content to social media platforms' moderation teams.

Case Study: Hummide Albu and Wild Animal Ownership

• Background: Hummide Albu, an influencer in the United Arab Emirates, owns over 60 wild animals, including tigers, lions, and chimpanzees.
• Legal Context: While private individuals in the Emirates have been banned from keeping wild animals since 2017, Hummide is allowed to keep his animals on his property due to special permission from a highness of Sultanas.
• Animal Care: Hummide claims to love and care for his animals, providing them with air conditioning and a healthy diet.
• Controversial Practices: Hummide's practices, such as feeding his bear 14 McDonald's McChicken sandwiches and chocolate, are criticized as being harmful to the animals' health.
• Content Creation: Hummide's primary motivation appears to be creating content for Instagram and TikTok, with the animals' well-being potentially taking a backseat.

Veterinary Perspectives on Animal Suffering in Social Media

• Accidents and Injuries: Veterinarians report seeing animals with injuries resulting from social media stunts, including concussions, fractures, and spinal injuries.
• Harmful Practices: Feeding animals unhealthy foods, such as pizza, can lead to gastrointestinal illness, pancreatitis, and diarrhea.
• Unreported Cases: The number of unreported cases of animal injuries related to social media stunts is likely high.

Behavioral Research on Animal Distress

• Red Flags: Animals often display "red flags" indicating discomfort or distress, which are often ignored by owners seeking to create content.
• Examples:
  • A dog licking its lips or corners of its mouth as an appeasement gesture when feeling threatened.
  • Cats reacting strongly to cucumbers due to a perceived threat (snake).
• Impact on Animals: Ignoring these signals can lead to fear, anxiety, and even aggression in animals.
• Role Models: Petfluencers who engage in harmful practices serve as negative role models for their followers.

Positive Examples of Petfluencing

• Carolene Rayman: Carolene Rayman, who owns two blind cats, focuses on showcasing her animals in a positive and species-appropriate way.
• Focus on Animals: Carolene prioritizes her cats' well-being and only creates content when they are comfortable.
• Inspiration: Carolene's account inspires others to adopt animals with disabilities.
• Financial Gain: Carolene earns a few thousand dollars a year from her social media activities, which she does in her free time.

Conclusion

Petfluencing presents both opportunities and challenges for animal welfare. While some petfluencers prioritize their animals' well-being and use their platforms to promote responsible pet ownership, others engage in harmful practices for financial gain. Social media users, platforms, and regulatory bodies all have a role to play in ensuring that animals are not exploited for online content. By being mindful of the content we consume and promoting ethical practices, we can help create a more positive and responsible petfluencing culture.