A grey literature review on media representation of animals in the 2023 wildfires in Nova Scotia, Canada

This study explores the media representation of animal-related issues during emergency response to wildfires in Nova Scotia, Canada. This paper aims to highlight the major issues present in the media during different stages of the emergency, looking specifically into three themes: preparedness, response, and recovery. The study adopts a content analysis approach to analyze data from multiple sources, including social media outlets (i.e., Twitter), government websites, and local news organizations’ publications between May and June 2023. The research highlights a range of practical examples when human-animal interactions can improve mutual resilience. To date, there are no unified standards for building media strategies related to supporting affected animals, specifically regarding the media representation of animal-related issues during disasters. The study offers a unique insight into the human-animal interactions during wildfires, a niche and specialised sub-field in disaster research.