The human-animal bond is the documented occurrence of a positive connection established between you and your pet, that benefits both of you.
In addition to providing companionship, numerous studies have documented profound mental, social and physical health benefits from the bond between people and companion animals. For example, studies indicate that sharing your life with a dog or cat can help reduce blood pressure and reduce levels of stress, and data has found that animals can play a role in managing depression.
Organizations such as the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) advocates for public policies to enable more people and animals to benefit from the positive health benefits of this bond by advancing research and building awareness. The proven positive impacts of the human-animal bond are put to use by organizations, such as Pet Partners, through animal-assisted intervention (AAI) to improve the physical, emotional and psychological lives of people in need. AAI can include activities such as hospital or nursing home visits, physical therapy, counseling and reading development programs.
Explore some of the ways the human-animal bond improves our lives:
