Native Pets

This poster is purely fantastical science fiction set many years in the future, BUT what isn’t is that quolls could make ideal alternative household pets. There are many Native Australian animals like the quoll becoming increasingly endangered, or even extinct in the wild. Researchers have found that when raised in companionship with humans, quolls have many of the desirable qualities we enjoy in cats and dogs, without the undesirable qualities (such as cats destroying smaller native animals). They can even be toilet trained!

For more information on pet quolls look up the work of respected professors Dr. Paul Hopwood, Dr. Michael Archer and recently teams within the University of NSW science department.

Their research doesn’t only apply to quolls and other native animals we could consider as pets, but taking a complete new look at how we better use species, both plants and animals that are native and appropriate to Australia’s unique environment. This ranges from Kangaroo farming methods to the harvesting of native grains. Indigenous Australians have had a sustainable relationship with the land for millennia and newer settlers need to learn how to better use this land if we want to continue celebrating and enjoying its uniqueness. The land and how we live from it determines our relationship with it and therefore our identity and belonging. Our pets also say a lot about who we are. Punks have big tough ferocious dogs. Farmers have honest hard working dogs. Paris Hilton has a dog as an accessory that fits in her handbag and the list goes on. Why shouldn’t our pets be better connected to where we come from?

Chris Edser

Chris Edser is currently working as a freelance illustrator and as an animator at Quench Studios. He co-founded and designs t-shirts for Screamdance. Chris is also a co-curator of The Australia Project.

www.chrisedser.com