{"id":361,"date":"2016-12-30T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-30T16:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lonetreevet.com\/blog\/?p=361"},"modified":"2022-04-18T14:25:54","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T20:25:54","slug":"human-animal-bond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lonetreevet.com\/blog\/human-animal-bond\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Connections: The Power of the Human-Animal Bond"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AOur veterinarians and veterinary support staff<\/a> share a deep love for animals, and if you\u2019re reading this, we\u2019re guessing that you feel the same. Our pets bring so much love, joy, affection and humor to our lives, it probably comes as no surprise that the human-animal bond may be deeply intertwined with our health, well-being and, possibly, our survival as a species.<\/p>\n

What is the Human-Animal Bond?<\/h3>\n

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) the human- animal bond is defined as, \u201c…a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals\u201d. Indeed, humans have benefitted from this unique connection for thousands of years. Animals were so essential to the daily lives of early humans that there is evidence we may not have survived or thrived without them.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Anyone who has ever had a pet or working animal probably doesn\u2019t need a scientific definition of the bond shared. The connections we share with our dogs, cats, birds, horses, llamas, etc., go deeper than words. Our animals can sense our moods, and have the ability to bestow a joy and peacefulness that rivals even the closest human relationships in our lives.<\/p>\n

How the Human-Animal Bond Benefits Us<\/h3>\n

The human-animal bond benefits our pets in many obvious ways. Because we love them, we make sure they are provided with food<\/a>, shelter, medical care, entertainment, and affection. The various ways in which humans benefit, however, may go deeper than basic needs:<\/p>\n