Fwd: Human Compassion Limited, Study Finds: as numbers increase, we level off

[Guest guest]

>After reading the article I wonder if it also applies to human

>compassion towards animals? Personally, I do not think my feelings

>level off at seeing a larger number of suffering animals compared to

>one. Am I alone in this respect?

 

The direct mail industry has known for 30-odd years that

solicitations based on depictions of suffering individuals, with

happy endings, draw hugely greater returns than solicitations

describing or depiction huge numbers, with no happy endings in sight.

 

Fundraisers for animal advocacy have used this knowledge

effectively since 1969, when Animal Protection Institute founder

Beltan Mouras became the first to build an organization from scratch

almost entirely by using direct mail. Mouras understood the power of

one-to-one identification, and used it very effectively.

 

Most of today's major U.S. organizations have been built the

same way, spotlighting the plight of an individual harp seal pup,

for example, even though the issue is the fate of hundreds of

thousands.

 

But, paradoxically, activists have usually not used the

lessons that raise funds in the parallel struggle to influence public

opinion--even as their own conduct shows that they should.

 

Every day I see examples of the very same individuals

simultaneously trying to rally protest with often exaggerated claims

about " millions " of animals being harmed in one way or another, and

then dropping everything to respond to single-animal cases that

usually had already received whatever intervention was possible

before ever going public.

 

Recently a web site depicting a single case of

misdemeanor-level cruelty to a dog, that occurred several years ago,

drew more than 287,000 hits in a week. Many webmasters exposing

issues involving millions of animals would be happy to see this many

hits in a year.

 

I have heard some griping about that, but the answer seems

obvious: put an individual face on the big issues.

 

Give the public what they need in order to identify with the

victims & respond to the issues, and they will.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

I very much agree to what Merritt has to say.

Being in the electronic news media for over seven years now, I have seen how

this medium enjoys reporting on 'Case Studies' and highlighting the plight

of one individual.

It helps very much to grab the attention of the concerned authorities faster

and does wonders, whether in case of animal rights or human rights or

anything on earth.

 

I think my friend Merritt will agree also that if the recent case study of

" Abey " the Sri Lankan elephant going beserk while playing " ELEPHANT POLO "

can be highlighted properly, it may not be too difficult to seek a universal

BAN on this unnecessary dangerous sport.

I am sure now that many news agencies have presented " Abey " as a hero,

perhaps Merritt can also spare some space in the next 'ANIMAL PEOPLE' and

come out with some explosive stuff against this event.

This time for a change though its the Elephant that has come out to fight

for its rights instead of we Human anti-elephant polo activists.

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

On 2/18/07, Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl wrote:

>

> >After reading the article I wonder if it also applies to human

> >compassion towards animals? Personally, I do not think my feelings

> >level off at seeing a larger number of suffering animals compared to

> >one. Am I alone in this respect?

>

> The direct mail industry has known for 30-odd years that

> solicitations based on depictions of suffering individuals, with

> happy endings, draw hugely greater returns than solicitations

> describing or depiction huge numbers, with no happy endings in sight.

>

> Fundraisers for animal advocacy have used this knowledge

> effectively since 1969, when Animal Protection Institute founder

> Beltan Mouras became the first to build an organization from scratch

> almost entirely by using direct mail. Mouras understood the power of

> one-to-one identification, and used it very effectively.

>

> Most of today's major U.S. organizations have been built the

> same way, spotlighting the plight of an individual harp seal pup,

> for example, even though the issue is the fate of hundreds of

> thousands.

>

> But, paradoxically, activists have usually not used the

> lessons that raise funds in the parallel struggle to influence public

> opinion--even as their own conduct shows that they should.

>

> Every day I see examples of the very same individuals

> simultaneously trying to rally protest with often exaggerated claims

> about " millions " of animals being harmed in one way or another, and

> then dropping everything to respond to single-animal cases that

> usually had already received whatever intervention was possible

> before ever going public.

>

> Recently a web site depicting a single case of

> misdemeanor-level cruelty to a dog, that occurred several years ago,

> drew more than 287,000 hits in a week. Many webmasters exposing

> issues involving millions of animals would be happy to see this many

> hits in a year.

>

> I have heard some griping about that, but the answer seems

> obvious: put an individual face on the big issues.

>

> Give the public what they need in order to identify with the

> victims & respond to the issues, and they will.

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com>

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

> original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

> founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

> decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

> We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]

>

>