Veterinarian in Society

HUMAN-COMPANION ANIMAL BOND

• In a country like India most rural families own animals which include large animals (cattle, buffaloes, horses etc) and small animals (sheep and goat, pigs and poultry) for production to sustain their livelihood and to cater to their household animal protein needs. Possession of these animals was considered to be a status symbol until early 90’s.
• Also pets are very common both in rural and urban areas. Studies has shown that 99 percent of cat and dog owners consider their pets to be full-fledged family members. Most pet owners cite companionship as the major reason for owning their pets hence pets are also known as companion animals.
• Researches indicate, that maintaining animals / pets help maintain the health and well-being of their owners. Pets act as social lubricants, making inter-personal conversations with child, young, the old and sick. These pets are most often described by their owners as children, best friends, partners and confidantes.
• Animals provide unconditional love to their owners. They also accept their owners regardless of appearances, feelings or behaviours. The relationship animal owners enjoy with their animals / pets are among the strongest and most important in their lives. In the last four decades the relationship between humans and certain species and breeds of animals have deepened and changed. The shift in terminology to describe relationship between people and pets reflect the change in status.
• The term ‘pet’ implies ownership of property, and animals who live with people have traditionally been called as ‘pets’. ‘Companion animal’ implies a mutual relationship much more like a child or friendship. With this status of relationship they often play key roles in people’s daily routines, for many companion animals are the primary source of emotional and social support.
• In the modern society people are under pressure at job, mobility, relationship, increased wants and so on. Also today’s culture has made Indian society uncared for many old age parents, widowed, divorced, childless people, never-married etc. Most parents are employed leaving the children uncared. In these circumstances many people have began to rely on animals for comfort and companionship. The bond with animals have deepened. The human-animal bond has also become an accepted area of scholarly research within the field of veterinary medicine.

What is a bond?

• The concept of bonding or of forming attachments is not exclusive to people and their pets. Attachment theory applies to both humans and animals.
• Attachment was first investigated by studying the relationship between mothers and infants in humans, non-human primates and other species of animals. Attachments also form between members of the same species (con-specifics) as well as between individuals of different species (hetero-specifics)

How are attachments formed?

• One theory suggested that attachments are influenced by people’s time and activities with pets, affection towards pets, knowledge about pets and their care and behavioural responsiveness toward pets.
• Miller and Lago hypothesized that attachment is based on affectionate companionship, equal family-member status, mutual physical activities and dominance and submissiveness factor.
• Ainsworth defined attachment as an affectionate tie that endures over time and
• Templer - pet attitude inventory focused on love and interaction, pets in home and joy of pet ownership factors indicative of attachment.
• Estep and Hetts postulated that an attachment forms when an individual acts to maintain proximity to the attachment object and shows signs of separation distress at involuntary separation.