June McNicholas

Dogs as catalysts for social interactions: Robustness of the effect

It is known that pet dogs can act as catalysts for human social interactions, and it has been suggested that this may enhance feelings of well-being. Two studies were carried out to establish the robustness of this effect. In Study 1, a highly trained dog was used to ensure that the dog itself did not solicit attention from passers-by, and data were collected across a range of normal daily activities in which a dog could be included, not confined to conventional dog walking areas as in previous studies. Being accompanied by a dog increased the frequency of social interactions, especially interactions with strangers. In Study 2, also using a trained dog, a different (male) participant observer was dressed either smartly or scruffily. Although there were significantly more interactions when he was smartly dressed, the greatest effect was between the Dog present and No Dog conditions irrespective of the handlers dress. It is concluded that the social catalysis effect is very robust, which opens the way for investigating possible consequences of the effect for well-being and health.

Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues

Research into the association between pet ownership and human health has produced intriguing, although frequently contradictory, results often raising uncertainty as to whether pet ownership is advisable on health grounds The question of whether someone should own a pet is never as simple as whether that pet has a measurably beneficial or detrimental effect on the owners physical health. The emotional bond between owner and pet can be as intense as that in many human relationships and may confer similar psychological benefits. Death of a pet can cause grief similar to that in human bereavement, whereas threat of loss of a pet may be met with blunt refusal and non-compliance with advice on health. We examine the current evidence for a link between pet ownership and human health and discuss the importance of understanding the role of pets in peoples lives. Research dating from the 1980s popularised the view that pet ownership could have positive benefits on human health. Benefits ranged from higher survival rates from myocardial infarction1; a significantly lower use of general practitioner services (prompting some researchers to speculate on considerable potential savings to health expenditure)2; a reduced risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pet allergens during the first year of life3 4; a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease5; and better physical and psychological wellbeing in community dwelling older people.6 No studies have found significant social or economic differences between people who do or do not have pets that would adequately explain differences in health outcome, leading to the belief that pet ownership itself is the primary cause of the reported benefits. Although the research did much to raise awareness of the importance that people attach to their pets, recent studies have failed to replicate …

Companion animal separation and loneliness

Abstract It is widely believed that companion animal ownership can help to alleviate loneliness. This study explored whether companion animal separation leads to increased levels of loneliness. Among new students who had been at university for three weeks, no evidence was found that companion animal separation was associated with increased levels of loneliness, irrespective of the self-reported “closeness” of the owner–companion animal relationship before separation. Because prior to leaving home companion animal owners and non-companion animal owners may have somehow differed, a comparable sample of companion animal owners and non-companion animal owners was tested immediately prior to the time of moving to university. No difference in loneliness was found due to companion animal ownership, irrespective of the self-reported degree of closeness of the relationship. As both samples may have been atypical, the impact of moving to university on loneliness was explored and a highly significant increase in loneliness was found. Overall, these findings suggest that companion animal separation does not contribute to the increase in loneliness observed when students leave home to start at university.