'I learn each day.' The informational lifeworld of dog and cat guardians in New Zealand

Abstract

Recognising the importance of information in understanding and living with companion animals, this paper investigates cat and dog guardians’ opinions on how they learn new things and update themselves. It identifies a range of information, practices, and contexts within their everyday life. An anonymous online survey consisting of close-ended and open-ended questions was distributed to cat and dog guardians in New Zealand between October and December 2021. Response frequencies and descriptive statistics of quantitative data were generated. The qualitative data were open-coded with an information experience lens to identify the categories of information forms and practices. Quantitative data indicate personal experiences and memories of guardians (75%), and casual conversations with other guardians (73%) as the most common resources for learning, after experts (e.g. veterinarians) (93%). Qualitative data analysis categorized these as two main themes of external and internal forms of information. External information consisted of social information in verbal and nonverbal communication with other humans and animals, recorded information in digital and physical mediums, and embedded information held in artifacts and animals’ body. Internal information related to guardians’ memory and personal knowledge (cognitive information), values and emotions (affective information), and bodily feelings and subjective interpretation of their senses (embodied information). The informational lifeworld of the participants was made of their external interactions and internal values, which appears as interwoven concepts in their daily lives with dogs and cats.