Carolinas Unite

Stories about pets and people are everywhere. Each time we encounter a story, our brain is triggered to ask questions—what is the problem, who is responsible, and what is the solution? In seconds, our mind makes answers. These answers influence how we think about issues - like overwhelmed shelters, access to care, cruelty, and pet ownership - and what we should do about them.

The problem is we aren’t getting the right answers from mainstream stories and messages. Too often, they lead to shame and blame, contribute to stereotypes and villainizing, and result in endless frustration, overwhelm, and burnout. Too many animals still need homes; too many pet families lack access to care.

We need different stories and messages to build a better reality for animals and people. During this session we will share SPARC’s three essential principles for messaging and storytelling. We’ll explore how these principles shape our thinking. You’ll learn how better messaging helps us unlock solutions for animals, humans, and our whole sector. We can see old problems in new ways and get fresh ideas for solving them.

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