‘Kookaburras, kangaroos and my frilly-necked lizard’: The value of wildlife, nature and companion animals for older community-dwelling Australians

Abstract

Objective: With little research investigating older Australians' experience of companion animal (pet) ownership or wildlife encounters, this paper focuses on the value of animals in their lives. Methods: Three online focus groups explored 103 older adults' lived experience of home and community, with this paper focused on interactions with animals—companion animals and wildlife. Results: Most (60%) had at least one pet, which brought love and joy into their lives. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: pets as family; challenges of pet ownership; and connection to everyday wildlife and nature. Conclusions: In addition to valuing companion animals (typically cats and dogs), this research is among the first to show that some older people also develop ongoing relationships with local Australian wildlife, such as kookaburras, kangaroos, lizards and birds, which raises the possibility that fostering connections with wildlife may enhance well-being.