Pets assisting in our better management of mental health disorders

The positive effects that pets have on people have been well-researched. From research conducted by the University of Manchester¹ suggests that pets can help people who are living with a mental illness to manage their condition.

President of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), Dr Paula Parker says: “the human-animal bond plays a crucial and positive role in the health and wellbeing of the community”.

“Benefits can include companionship, health and social improvements and assistance for people with special needs.

“This research takes our knowledge about the human-animal bond a step further suggesting that pets can help people who are struggling with a serious mental illness to manage their mental health.

“Only through more research like this, can we come to better understand just how increasingly valuable animals are to an individual’s wellbeing and the community,” she said.

The study involved 54 participants with a severe mental illness, for example, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Twenty-five of the participants identified a pet as being important in the everyday management of their illness. What’s more, of these 25 participants, more than half identified their pet as being one of the most important things to them in managing their mental health.

“There’s already strong evidence to indicate that owning a pet brings health benefits including physical health benefits, for example, dog owners increase their exercise by walking their pet.

“Research also suggests that pets have positive effects on the community. A study² conducted by the University of Western Australia found that pets facilitate first meetings and conversations between neighbours, with over 60 per cent of dog owners reporting that they got to know their neighbours through their pets.

“While pets can improve our health and wellbeing, it’s important to remember that the human-animal bond is a two-way street and we need to provide the same benefits to our pets by ensuring we properly care for their health and welfare,” she said.

References:

1. Brooks H, Rushton K, Walker S et al. Ontological security and connectivity provided by pets: a study in the self-management of the everyday lives of people diagnosed with a long-term mental health condition. BMC Psychiatry 2016;16:409. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-1111-3.
2. Wood L, Martin K, Christian H et al. Social capital and pet ownership: a tale of four cities. SSM Population Health2017;3:442–447.

For further information and requests for interviews contact the AVA media office on 0439 628 898 or media@ava.com.au.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is the only national association representing veterinarians in Australia. Founded in 1921, the AVA today represents 9000 members working in all areas of animal science, health, and welfare.