Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Mental Health Human Bond

The bidirectional relationship between companion animal welfare and human mental health, and how the human-animal bond affects both.

Key Facts

Companion animals provide documented mental health benefits including reduced loneliness and anxiety
Human mental health problems including depression affect companion animal care quality
Domestic violence commonly involves animal abuse as a control mechanism
Animal-assisted therapy shows evidence of benefit for various mental health conditions
The human-animal bond is bidirectional - animal welfare affects and is affected by owner wellbeing

Welfare Considerations

The human-animal bond creates a welfare connection between companion animals and their owners that runs in both directions. Owners with good mental health tend to provide better welfare for their animals, while companion animals who provide genuine positive experiences also tend to receive better care. Recognising these connections opens opportunities to support both human mental health and companion animal welfare through integrated programmes.

What You Can Do

Support programmes that keep pets with owners experiencing mental health difficulties
Engage with animal-assisted therapy research and evidence-based applications
Advocate for domestic abuse support services to accommodate pets and address animal abuse