The Art of Private Veterinary Practice L’art de la pratique vétérinaire privée The Disneyfication challenge to quality veterinary communication Myrna Milani
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isneyfication is a term used by anthrozoologists to refer to perceptions of animal behaviors and human-animal interactions based on media representations instead of actual knowledge. Although the stories and characters developed by the Disney companies give the phenomenon its name, all forms of media possess the potential to deliberately or unintentionally generate this effect. The consequences of this may complicate the lives of veterinary practitioners in multiple ways. The following examples explore some of the different forms the phenomenon may take and provide reactive and pro-active responses to these challenges for comparison. The first example involves breedism, i.e., assigning strong positive or negative qualities to all animals of a certain breed based on reports of a few. Because the approach often triggers a strong emotional response, eliciting it is a common media tactic. Consider what occurs in Dr. Janeira’s practice when a popular local news show reports an alleged case of animal abuse involving an alleged pit bull mix. Because it was a slow news day, the reporter attempted to transform the sparse information into a longer and more attention-grabbing segment. This included adding comments about totally unrelated cases involving the horrific injuries sustained by animals used in dog-fighting and also one about a pit bull maiming a child. In one variation on this theme, Dr. Janeira hears the report on her way to work and knows that most of her staff and many of her clients did too. However she decides that, like her, they will recognize how little concrete information existed in the report and dismiss it. When heated discussions about the merits versus evils of pit bulls occur between one of her technicians and an associate and a member of the office staff and a several clients, she realizes her mistake and must go into damage-control mode. In the second scenario, when Dr. Janeira hears the report on her way to work, she immediately calls a brief meeting to address it as soon as she arrives. During the meeting she reminds the
Use of this article is limited to a single copy for personal study. Anyone interested in obtaining reprints should contact the CVMA office ([email protected]) for additional copies or permission to use this material elsewhere. CVJ / VOL 55 / OCTOBER 2014
staff that the reports provide no verified information regarding what occurred or what kind of dog was involved. She also points out that she expects them to pleasantly and respectfully communicate this to anyone seeking to use the report as a reason to expound their personal views regarding dog abuse or dogs in general or of a particular breed. Another characteristic of Disneyfication is that it reduces any relatively complex or boring elements in an event to black and white dichotomies. Dr. Christensen cringes anytime he gets a request from the local media to address any alleged conflict between the practices used by the area’s conventional beef producers and those who specialize in producing organic products, or any remotely similar conflict. He does this because he still remembers what happened when he reactively responded to his first request for such input as a young veterinarian. “I got so caught up in my mental image of what a good practice-builder the publicity would be that I foolishly assumed such a conflict actually existed,” he admits ruefully. “As calls from several clients representing both sides of the debate I’d hoped to impress soon made clear, it was something dreamed up by the media. Oh sure, they had their differences. But nothing that they couldn’t handle easily among themselves. They didn’t want or need some new-to-the-area young vet like me creating a problem where none existed. Luckily they all forgave me because it would have cost me a lot if they hadn’t.” While he was still smarting from that embarrassing experience, Dr. Christensen established a basic 3-step protocol for dealing with the media. 1). No one on the veterinary staff would give impromptu interviews of any kind related to animals, their clients, or any aspect of veterinary practice unless thoroughly acquainted with the issue for which an opinion was desired. 2). If anyone had any doubts whatsoever about their ability to address a particular matter in a knowledgeable manner, they would postpone the interview until they had time to thoroughly acquaint themselves with all aspects of the issue. In the case of new associates or support staff, they also should discuss this with him first. 3). If pressured by a potential interviewer for an immediate response, it was both desirable and appropriate to decline respectfully and without guilt or regret. 997
L’A R T D E L A P R AT I Q U E V É T É R I N A I R E P R I V É E
Of all the many forms Disneyfication may take, perhaps none possess the potential to wreak as much emotional havoc as the expectation of a happy ending in spite of overwhelming odds. In this example Dr. Cooney describes his introduction to this phenomenon that occurred more than 40 years previously, and then uses this as a teaching tool for his associate today. “I worked in a small town with one of those five-and-dime stores that had a small pet department that sold parakeets and canaries,” he reminisces to his younger colleague. “At the time, doing this was completely unregulated and the birds were as likely to be tended by some high school kids as the old lady who manned the sewing notions counter the next aisle over. A client of mine named Jack Abercrombie was an avid bird-lover and visited the birds daily. When he did, the manager would give him any ailing birds to care for because Jack couldn’t afford to buy a healthy one. The manager also would toss in whatever over-the-counter bird medication the store sold. If the bird continued to deteriorate, Jack would bring it to me. He’d show up with an almost dead bird in a little brown paper bag and announce, ‘I call her Faith because I have faith you can heal her.’ Or ‘I call him Rescue because I’m sure you can save him.’” “What did you do?” asked his young associate who was totally caught up in her employer’s strange narrative. “At first I went along with the charade because I didn’t want to hurt the old guy’s feelings. And I admit that on some level I wanted to live up to his expectations. Besides, who doesn’t like happy endings, especially when you’re the hero and it involves making an old man on the brink of senility happy?” Dr. Cooney continued. “But after a while, it bothered me and I dreaded seeing Jack in the waiting room. Then my wife pointed out that this might not be the best approach in the long run for Jack, me, or the birds.” Dr. Cooney goes on to describe how he realized that his wife was right and established a less traumatic, if not totally honest protocol. He asked the store manager to move any ailing birds into a back room first thing each morning. There the veterinarian would then examine them and humanely euthanize the terminally ill ones before Jack arrived for his daily rounds.
998
“Fortunately, the store shut down that part of its business and Jack and the birds I was able to help enjoyed a quality life together for several more years,” he tells his employee. “It always bothered me that I didn’t tell him the whole truth, but he was so happy with our string of successes that I was willing to accept that responsibility.” “Wow!” exclaims the associate. “I’m glad we don’t have to deal with something like that today!” Her response enables Dr. Cooney to use the story as a springboard for a discussion about some of the practice’s current clients who impose similarly unrealistic beliefs on the treatment process. “Today we can do a lot more for animals with chronic problems for which no cure exists,” he reminds her. “And yet no matter how many times we tell them that all we can offer is symptomatic treatments, some of them just don’t seem to want to hear it.” “I agree, but what’s the correct response?” she reasonably replies. “I don’t want to make them unhappy.” “Neither do I,” agrees her employer. “But we don’t want to give them false hope or, worse, allow our desire to make them happy cause us to try treatments that could make their animals worse. If we do recommend such options, we need to be sure we have their full cooperation and do any necessary pre-treatment work-up and monitoring as well as inform them of any possible negative consequences. But err on the conservative side regarding outcomes because these people are being guided and blinded by their emotions. Because they are, it’s up to us to make sure we maintain our objectivity as best we can.” In all situations in which Disneyfication affects other’s perception of an animal-related problem and the best way to address it, the veterinarian’s opinion may carry more weight than that from other sources. Because of this, practitioners must be careful that their own biases do not cause them to respond to these situations in a manner that will create problems for them, their clients, or their patients in the future.
CVJ / VOL 55 / OCTOBER 2014
D
isneyfication is a term used by anthrozoologists to refer to perceptions of animal behaviors and human-animal interactions based on media representations instead of actual knowledge. Although the stories and characters developed by the Disney companies give the phenomenon its name, all forms of media possess the potential to deliberately or unintentionally generate this effect. The consequences of this may complicate the lives of veterinary practitioners in multiple ways. The following examples explore some of the different forms the phenomenon may take and provide reactive and pro-active responses to these challenges for comparison. The first example involves breedism, i.e., assigning strong positive or negative qualities to all animals of a certain breed based on reports of a few. Because the approach often triggers a strong emotional response, eliciting it is a common media tactic. Consider what occurs in Dr. Janeira’s practice when a popular local news show reports an alleged case of animal abuse involving an alleged pit bull mix. Because it was a slow news day, the reporter attempted to transform the sparse information into a longer and more attention-grabbing segment. This included adding comments about totally unrelated cases involving the horrific injuries sustained by animals used in dog-fighting and also one about a pit bull maiming a child. In one variation on this theme, Dr. Janeira hears the report on her way to work and knows that most of her staff and many of her clients did too. However she decides that, like her, they will recognize how little concrete information existed in the report and dismiss it. When heated discussions about the merits versus evils of pit bulls occur between one of her technicians and an associate and a member of the office staff and a several clients, she realizes her mistake and must go into damage-control mode. In the second scenario, when Dr. Janeira hears the report on her way to work, she immediately calls a brief meeting to address it as soon as she arrives. During the meeting she reminds the
Use of this article is limited to a single copy for personal study. Anyone interested in obtaining reprints should contact the CVMA office ([email protected]) for additional copies or permission to use this material elsewhere. CVJ / VOL 55 / OCTOBER 2014
staff that the reports provide no verified information regarding what occurred or what kind of dog was involved. She also points out that she expects them to pleasantly and respectfully communicate this to anyone seeking to use the report as a reason to expound their personal views regarding dog abuse or dogs in general or of a particular breed. Another characteristic of Disneyfication is that it reduces any relatively complex or boring elements in an event to black and white dichotomies. Dr. Christensen cringes anytime he gets a request from the local media to address any alleged conflict between the practices used by the area’s conventional beef producers and those who specialize in producing organic products, or any remotely similar conflict. He does this because he still remembers what happened when he reactively responded to his first request for such input as a young veterinarian. “I got so caught up in my mental image of what a good practice-builder the publicity would be that I foolishly assumed such a conflict actually existed,” he admits ruefully. “As calls from several clients representing both sides of the debate I’d hoped to impress soon made clear, it was something dreamed up by the media. Oh sure, they had their differences. But nothing that they couldn’t handle easily among themselves. They didn’t want or need some new-to-the-area young vet like me creating a problem where none existed. Luckily they all forgave me because it would have cost me a lot if they hadn’t.” While he was still smarting from that embarrassing experience, Dr. Christensen established a basic 3-step protocol for dealing with the media. 1). No one on the veterinary staff would give impromptu interviews of any kind related to animals, their clients, or any aspect of veterinary practice unless thoroughly acquainted with the issue for which an opinion was desired. 2). If anyone had any doubts whatsoever about their ability to address a particular matter in a knowledgeable manner, they would postpone the interview until they had time to thoroughly acquaint themselves with all aspects of the issue. In the case of new associates or support staff, they also should discuss this with him first. 3). If pressured by a potential interviewer for an immediate response, it was both desirable and appropriate to decline respectfully and without guilt or regret. 997
L’A R T D E L A P R AT I Q U E V É T É R I N A I R E P R I V É E
Of all the many forms Disneyfication may take, perhaps none possess the potential to wreak as much emotional havoc as the expectation of a happy ending in spite of overwhelming odds. In this example Dr. Cooney describes his introduction to this phenomenon that occurred more than 40 years previously, and then uses this as a teaching tool for his associate today. “I worked in a small town with one of those five-and-dime stores that had a small pet department that sold parakeets and canaries,” he reminisces to his younger colleague. “At the time, doing this was completely unregulated and the birds were as likely to be tended by some high school kids as the old lady who manned the sewing notions counter the next aisle over. A client of mine named Jack Abercrombie was an avid bird-lover and visited the birds daily. When he did, the manager would give him any ailing birds to care for because Jack couldn’t afford to buy a healthy one. The manager also would toss in whatever over-the-counter bird medication the store sold. If the bird continued to deteriorate, Jack would bring it to me. He’d show up with an almost dead bird in a little brown paper bag and announce, ‘I call her Faith because I have faith you can heal her.’ Or ‘I call him Rescue because I’m sure you can save him.’” “What did you do?” asked his young associate who was totally caught up in her employer’s strange narrative. “At first I went along with the charade because I didn’t want to hurt the old guy’s feelings. And I admit that on some level I wanted to live up to his expectations. Besides, who doesn’t like happy endings, especially when you’re the hero and it involves making an old man on the brink of senility happy?” Dr. Cooney continued. “But after a while, it bothered me and I dreaded seeing Jack in the waiting room. Then my wife pointed out that this might not be the best approach in the long run for Jack, me, or the birds.” Dr. Cooney goes on to describe how he realized that his wife was right and established a less traumatic, if not totally honest protocol. He asked the store manager to move any ailing birds into a back room first thing each morning. There the veterinarian would then examine them and humanely euthanize the terminally ill ones before Jack arrived for his daily rounds.
998
“Fortunately, the store shut down that part of its business and Jack and the birds I was able to help enjoyed a quality life together for several more years,” he tells his employee. “It always bothered me that I didn’t tell him the whole truth, but he was so happy with our string of successes that I was willing to accept that responsibility.” “Wow!” exclaims the associate. “I’m glad we don’t have to deal with something like that today!” Her response enables Dr. Cooney to use the story as a springboard for a discussion about some of the practice’s current clients who impose similarly unrealistic beliefs on the treatment process. “Today we can do a lot more for animals with chronic problems for which no cure exists,” he reminds her. “And yet no matter how many times we tell them that all we can offer is symptomatic treatments, some of them just don’t seem to want to hear it.” “I agree, but what’s the correct response?” she reasonably replies. “I don’t want to make them unhappy.” “Neither do I,” agrees her employer. “But we don’t want to give them false hope or, worse, allow our desire to make them happy cause us to try treatments that could make their animals worse. If we do recommend such options, we need to be sure we have their full cooperation and do any necessary pre-treatment work-up and monitoring as well as inform them of any possible negative consequences. But err on the conservative side regarding outcomes because these people are being guided and blinded by their emotions. Because they are, it’s up to us to make sure we maintain our objectivity as best we can.” In all situations in which Disneyfication affects other’s perception of an animal-related problem and the best way to address it, the veterinarian’s opinion may carry more weight than that from other sources. Because of this, practitioners must be careful that their own biases do not cause them to respond to these situations in a manner that will create problems for them, their clients, or their patients in the future.
CVJ / VOL 55 / OCTOBER 2014
