It's time to talk about systems in animal care and well-being

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(Reader’s Note: This is part 2 of 3 in a series about systems framing.)

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What's the Problem?

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Stories about pets and people are everywhere. So much content floods the news, social media, and our inboxes daily. Each time we encounter a story, our brain is triggered to ask – what is the problem, who is responsible, and what is the solution? In seconds, our mind creates answers. The way we talk about problems sets the stage for solving them.

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The trouble is most of these stories are unfinished. Stereotypes are common. Mainstream messages leave out critical information about what pet families experience every day. The most common stories about owners and pets focus on how people are responsible for whatever they are going through. If a dog doesn’t get needed veterinary care, it’s the fault of an “irresponsible” or “uneducated” owner. A cat surrendered to the shelter must have had an owner who was “uncaring” or “didn’t try hard enough.”

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If we are surrounded by incomplete stories - full of snapshots and stereotypes - we’ll struggle to identify the best solutions for pets and people.  If we wish to be catalysts for change, we must be intentional and direct peoples' attention – the public, policymakers, and colleagues – to a more complete view of what’s happening in peoples’ lives.

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We need to share the experiences of pets and people and how they are affected by the realities around them. — What challenges are they facing? What have they overcome? There is more to the story than what we’ve been hearing and telling.

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Systems Framing

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We have an opportunity to tell a more complete story when we talk about systems.

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Social Systems are many parts of our society. They are a combination of organizations, institutions, policies, and norms that interact and influence each other. For example, the "healthcare system" or "education system". Social systems exist because of people's decisions and actions.

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Issues like housing insecurity, access to veterinary care, access to transportation, hunger and food insecurity, and racial inequity have major impacts on the well-being of pets and people. When systems work well, pet owners can take care of their animals. When systems do not work well, they create hurdles, limit options, and can harm pets and their people. Talking about systems is an important step in making them better.

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Systems Framing is deliberately choosing to communicate about the most significant issues in our social systems as part of our messaging and storytelling. Even though systems are complex, our stories and messaging don’t have to be. Here are examples…

Local organizations focused on animal care and well-being are one of the most trusted sources of information about pets. We play a significant role in how beliefs are created and spread. The stories we tell and the messages we share influence what people in our communities think, feel, and do.

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We want stories that make sense, help animals, support people who care about animals, and solve problems.  We can choose to tell these kinds of stories when we use systems framing. Talking about systems is critical to doing our best work and unlocking real, long-lasting solutions for pets and people.

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How to Talk About Systems

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Check out SPARC’s Systems Framing for Animal Care and Well-Being to learn more about how to talk about systems. Systems framing can help us move forward in our work and support the well-being of animals and people.

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Our first post in this series - Why have we been overwhelmed? - offers insights into the power of narratives to shape our ideas about problems and solutions.

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