In the United States, few criminals are more vilified than those who do mean things to animals. In summer 2015, citizens across the nation responded with anger when they learned that Minnesota dentist Dr. Walter Palmer had shot a defenseless lion on safari in Africa.

Palmer reportedly paid $50,000 to secure the licenses to track down and kill a lion. But the lion that Palmer's guides lured out of a national park turned out to be a well-known, 13-year-old lion known as "Cecil."

Immediately, public opinion turned against Dr. Palmer, who went into hiding and hired public relations firm J. Austin & Associates. The firm issued an apology on his behalf and promptly quit. Palmer then attempted to retain Minneapolis agency Spong PR without success.

Palmer, it seemed, was that rare commodity who couldn't seem to find a public relations firm that would take his money.

As you will read this week, the Public Relations Society of America lists the following as its core values: Advocacy, Honesty, Expertise, Independence, Loyalty, and Fairness. The society stresses that practitioners should (1) Preserve the integrity of the process of communication; (2) Be honest and accurate in all communications; (3) Act promptly to correct erroneous communications for which the practitioner is responsible; and (4) Preserve the free flow of unprejudiced information when giving or receiving gifts by ensuring that gifts are nominal, legal, and infrequent.

We now must explore the Cecil dilemma through the lens of public relations ethics.

1. Describe how the Cecil dilemma stands against at least three core values of the PRSA (and why);
2. Provide hypothetical advice to Dr. Palmer on how to handle this situation from a public relations perspective;
3. Would you represent Dr. Palmer if they led a public relations firm? Why or why not? You can read more on the PRSA's core values on this prsa-values.pdf