Human-Animal Bonding

Who benefits?

Remember-for most people their pet is like a child to them

Why do we keep pets?

Companionship

Assistance

Ornament

Status symbol

Hobby

Children and pets

Childhood experiences determine whether pets are kept when children become adultsFamilies with pets show greater cohesionChildren with pets have lower asthma ratesFirst experience of bereavement for children

Health research on pet owners

Survival rate in the year following a heart attack is 94% for pet owners and 72% for non-pet owners

Stroking a pet reduces your blood pressure

Over a period of a year, pet owners visited their doctors less than non-pet owners

Advantages of owning a pet

PhysicalPsychological-elderly women who felt attached to their pets were significantly happier than those who did not -pets allow us the experience of parenting-pets are dependable and love us unconditionally

Animals as therapists

Auckland’s North Shore Hospital have a budgie named Ed. He calms and distracts children

Severely withdrawn children will often relate to pets rather than people

Rest homes in the bay of plenty are visited by a Shetland pony called Lace

Animals as helpers

Guide dogs

Hearing dogs

Epilepsy dogs

People with other disabilities

Why dogs and cats?

Dogs have similar social structure to humans (hierarchical) so fit into families wellCats never totally gave in to the idea of being owned but their expression of aloof contentedness appeals to ownersBoth provide companionship because their behaviours mirror human companion behaviour

Strong bonding situations:extra care required

Sick pets requiring daily care eg diabetic

Childless couples

Bereaved owners where the pet belonged to the person they have lost

Negative aspects of human-animal interaction

Animal abuse

- strong evidence that abuse of animals often preceeds violence to people

-often the humans are victims of abuse themselves

-important to report animal abuse especially if family at risk too

Health issues for pet owners

Toxoxcariasis

Toxoplasmosis

Psittacosis

Dog bites

Human exploitation of pets

Abandonment

Burnout in pets used for therapy

Declawing and devoicing

Piercing?

Cosmetic surgery

“You can take a horse to water..