Interactions Between Wild Animals and Pet Toys on a Rural Farm in Lawrence, KS

In this project I aim to find out whether wild animals interact with common household pet toys when encountered in their environment. By observing these interactions, I seek to understand whether these wild animals engage with the toys in a playful manner, use them as tool, or not interact with them at all. An assortment of 4–5 household pet toys will be placed in open rural field in front of the trail camera. The toys will be rotated and rearranged periodically to provide variety. If these findings are successful then it may suggest that pet toys can elicit more playful behaviors in wildlife that are seen from domesticated pets, potentially influencing their everyday lives, their environments, or even health.