These people are usually not aware of the main meaning of the word zoo-exclusive. The zoo-exclusive does not want human companion, it did not develop in it, they brain was programmed differently during sexual imprinting. Even in their youth, these people did not form a human relationship, or if only because of social/family pressure, but only for a short time.
They have a happy and fulfilling life only with their animal companion. There are people here on ZV who are 50-60 years old, but there are also people who are 70 and have never had a human relationship and are "human virgins".
This does not mean that they are socially disabled, because that they still have friends and live their lives. Of course, "living alone" itself is a changed social behavior.
The secondary meaning of zoo-exclusive is used a lot when a person basically wants a human companion, but because of the many problems or negative qualities, chooses animals in the end. They have a high chance, especially with the passage of time (it can be 20-30 years), that they will eventually search a human partner. Aging scares them. In an excluzoo, this is much less present, as their brain works differently.
They are the ones who utter these sentences "down play it".
And there is the case between the two, which is usually referred to as "it's complicated". They don't want a classic human relationship, only one that is more than a friend, but less than a "we're together". Since this is usually not realized, they are still main zoo-exclusives.
