Maxwell thought Camusfearna would be suitable for the experiment of keeping an otter instead of a dog. After his dog Jonnie died, he was too sad to think of keeping a dog again, but he found life without a pet to be lonely.

He believed Camusfearna was an eminently suitable spot for this experiment because the place was ringed by water just a stone's throw from its door. This close proximity to water made it an ideal environment for an otter to live and thrive.