The Human-Animal BondThe Human-Animal Bond

CAPT Stephanie OstrowskiCAPT Stephanie Ostrowski

USPHS Veterinary TeamUSPHS Veterinary Team

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The Human-Animal BondThe Human-Animal Bond

The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Definition:The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Definition:

““A A mutually beneficialmutually beneficial and and dynamicdynamic relationship relationship between people and other animals that between people and other animals that is is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well-being of bothhealth and well-being of both. This includes but . This includes but is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, other animals, physical interactions of people, other animals, and the environment.and the environment.The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potentials of this bond is to maximize the potentials of this relationship between people and other animals.”relationship between people and other animals.”

History of the Human-Animal BondHistory of the Human-Animal Bond

Human-canine bond is one Human-canine bond is one of the oldest relationships.of the oldest relationships.– Domestication >12,000 Domestication >12,000

years agoyears ago– Transition from working Transition from working

companion to pet between companion to pet between 600 to 1300 AD600 to 1300 AD

Evidence of human-feline Evidence of human-feline bonds 9,500 years ago.bonds 9,500 years ago.Farm animal domestication Farm animal domestication 10,000 years ago.10,000 years ago.

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Family Pets = Family MembersFamily Pets = Family Members

62% of US households have at least one pet62% of US households have at least one pet (AVMA 2002) (AVMA 2002)

Children are more likely to have pets than siblings or Children are more likely to have pets than siblings or fathersfathers (Melson, 2001)(Melson, 2001)

More than 75% of owners say dog’s health is as important More than 75% of owners say dog’s health is as important to them as their ownto them as their own (Pfizer Animal Health/Gallup survey)(Pfizer Animal Health/Gallup survey)

57% would prefer their pet as their only companion if they 57% would prefer their pet as their only companion if they were stranded on a desert islandwere stranded on a desert island (2001 APPMA pet owner survey)(2001 APPMA pet owner survey)

52% are better at remembering the names of neighbor’s 52% are better at remembering the names of neighbor’s pets than human neighborspets than human neighbors (2001 AAHA survey)(2001 AAHA survey)

A scientifically established link exists between how people A scientifically established link exists between how people treat animals and how they treat each othertreat animals and how they treat each other

Functions in Modern SocietyFunctions in Modern Society

Assistance animalsAssistance animals– Helpers (i.e. hearing, Helpers (i.e. hearing,

sight, seizure detection)sight, seizure detection)– VisitationVisitation– Therapy programs Therapy programs

(physical, mental, skill-(physical, mental, skill-building)building)

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Animals as Partners in WorkAnimals as Partners in Work

Search and rescue dogsSearch and rescue dogs

Bomb detection dogsBomb detection dogs

Police dogs Police dogs

Police horsesPolice horses

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Alan Beck wrote:Alan Beck wrote:

It is the "loving devotion, the soft touch, the constant It is the "loving devotion, the soft touch, the constant companionship and the attentive eye, and the uncritical ear companionship and the attentive eye, and the uncritical ear of the pet" that is so attractive to many of us. Pets are of the pet" that is so attractive to many of us. Pets are uncritically accepting, give love completely and openly, and uncritically accepting, give love completely and openly, and are loyal at all times under all circumstances. The affection are loyal at all times under all circumstances. The affection provided by an animal is simple, unconditional, and provided by an animal is simple, unconditional, and uncomplicated. Pets are playmates for persons of any age uncomplicated. Pets are playmates for persons of any age group, provide the security of companionship and are group, provide the security of companionship and are frequently a confidant. These comforting and healing frequently a confidant. These comforting and healing qualities enable animals to be facilitators in therapy qualities enable animals to be facilitators in therapy (Cornell Companions).(Cornell Companions).

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Benefits to Humans: Benefits to Humans: Pets as HealersPets as Healers

Pet owners have:Pet owners have:– Lower blood pressure, triglycerides, Lower blood pressure, triglycerides,

and cholesterol and cholesterol – Increased survival after heart attackIncreased survival after heart attack– Stress reductionStress reduction– Weight controlWeight control– Fewer minor health problemsFewer minor health problems

Alzheimer’s patients allowed to Alzheimer’s patients allowed to observe fish demonstrated observe fish demonstrated improved relaxation, alertness, and improved relaxation, alertness, and eating habits eating habits Positive impact on the lonely, Positive impact on the lonely, emotionally or physically impairedemotionally or physically impaired

Benefits to Humans: Benefits to Humans: Childhood DevelopmentChildhood Development

Pets: Pets: – Provide a sense of security and self-esteemProvide a sense of security and self-esteem– Facilitate play, exploration, independenceFacilitate play, exploration, independence– Facilitate an understanding of life events and Facilitate an understanding of life events and

life-changing eventslife-changing events– Promote responsibility, nurturing, loyalty, Promote responsibility, nurturing, loyalty,

empathy, sharing, and unconditional loveempathy, sharing, and unconditional love

Animals in classrooms:Animals in classrooms:– Motivate students to work wellMotivate students to work well– Improve behaviorImprove behavior– Provide care-giving opportunities important to Provide care-giving opportunities important to

psychological developmentpsychological development

Benefits to Humans: Benefits to Humans: Pets and the ElderlyPets and the Elderly

Pets:Pets:– Provide companionship and support Provide companionship and support

during bereavementduring bereavement– Increase levels of activityIncrease levels of activity– Improve person-to-person interactionsImprove person-to-person interactions– Ease loss in natural disastersEase loss in natural disasters– Transcend sensory deficits, mental Transcend sensory deficits, mental

changes, mobility restrictions that can changes, mobility restrictions that can impede human-human relationshipsimpede human-human relationships

When moving to residential care, When moving to residential care, there are significant benefits when there are significant benefits when elderly persons keep their petselderly persons keep their pets

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Pet owners and rescue groups feel an acute Pet owners and rescue groups feel an acute sense of urgency about getting animals out sense of urgency about getting animals out

of harm’s way.of harm’s way.

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Pet-owning households are significantly less Pet-owning households are significantly less likely to evacuate during mandatory orders.likely to evacuate during mandatory orders.

Animals and DisastersAnimals and Disasters

A sense of personal responsibility to those entrusted to our care is a A sense of personal responsibility to those entrusted to our care is a hallmark of emotionally and ethically mature human beings.hallmark of emotionally and ethically mature human beings.Owners are loyal to the animals they love, and will risk personal Owners are loyal to the animals they love, and will risk personal injury to protect them. injury to protect them. Studies indicate that pet-owning households are significantly less Studies indicate that pet-owning households are significantly less likely to evacuate during mandatory orders than households without likely to evacuate during mandatory orders than households without pets; the more pets, the less likely household will evacuate. pets; the more pets, the less likely household will evacuate. (AJE 2001 (AJE 2001 153:659-665)153:659-665)

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Animals and People During Disasters-- Animals and People During Disasters-- Evacuation PhaseEvacuation Phase

Pets may be the only daily companions for elderly and special Pets may be the only daily companions for elderly and special needs populations, and occupy the role of physical and emotional needs populations, and occupy the role of physical and emotional care-givers for these people. care-givers for these people.

Leaving animals behind during Leaving animals behind during routineroutine evacuations creates stress evacuations creates stress and anxiety for pet owners and family members.and anxiety for pet owners and family members.

MandatoryMandatory evacuations that do not include provisions for pets may evacuations that do not include provisions for pets may cause:cause:– resistance and conflict between rescuers and evacuees, resistance and conflict between rescuers and evacuees, – acute emotional distress for pet owners (separation anxiety, guilt, acute emotional distress for pet owners (separation anxiety, guilt,

feelings of wrongful loss and powerlessness).feelings of wrongful loss and powerlessness).

Therefore, joint owner-pet evacuations should be facilitated to the Therefore, joint owner-pet evacuations should be facilitated to the extent possible. extent possible.

Rescuing and caring for animals are Rescuing and caring for animals are normalizing experiencesnormalizing experiences for people who for people who have suffered loss and displacement.have suffered loss and displacement.

Protecting those we love = Protecting those we love = empowerment!empowerment!

Protecting those we love = Protecting those we love = empowermentempowerment

Pet owners and rescue groups feel an acute sense Pet owners and rescue groups feel an acute sense of urgency about getting animals out of harm’s of urgency about getting animals out of harm’s way. way.

Rescuing and sheltering evacuated animals Rescuing and sheltering evacuated animals provides a sense of competency, empowerment, provides a sense of competency, empowerment, and recovery in the face of disaster. and recovery in the face of disaster.

Being prevented from rescuing and caring for Being prevented from rescuing and caring for animals can generate intense frustration and animals can generate intense frustration and resentment.resentment.

ReferencesReferences

Center for the Human – Animal Bond. Purdue Center for the Human – Animal Bond. Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. University School of Veterinary Medicine. www.vet.purdue.edu.Melson, GF. Why the wild things are: Animals in the Melson, GF. Why the wild things are: Animals in the lives of children. Cambridge, Ma: Harvard lives of children. Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press. 2001.University Press. 2001.Human Society of the United States. Human Society of the United States. www.hsus.org/pets.American Veterinary Medical Association. American Veterinary Medical Association. www.avma.org. www.avma.org. Beck, Alan. Director, Center for the Human-Animal Beck, Alan. Director, Center for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University School of Veterinary Bond, Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. Medicine. http://abcnews.go.comhttp://www.aspca.org/site/