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Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita2011; 47(4); 397-408; doi: 10.4415/ANN_11_04_12

Human-animal relationships: from daily life to animal-assisted therapies.

Abstract: Humans have a long history of relationship with domestic animals and nowadays pets often act as "social substitutes" through bonding. There is some evidence that pet presence at home may induce well being in people and the development of social skills in children. Animal assisted therapies aim at developing these skills in patients on the basis of human animal interactions. Experimental data obtained on animal models suggest that this is indeed a promising line. There is however a lack of clear scientific data that would help defines what the most appropriate procedures or species may be. Improvements are observed, but again sound scientific data are mostly missing. Attention must be given to the welfare of the animals being used.
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Publication Date: 2011-12-24 PubMed ID: 22194075DOI: 10.4415/ANN_11_04_12Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the correlation between humans and animals in daily life scenarios, identifying a possible role of pets in inducing well-being in humans and enhancing social skills in children, and discussing the potential and limitations of animal-assisted therapies.

Human-Animal Relationships in Daily Life

The research begins by emphasizing the deep-rooted history of relationships between humans and animals, particularly domestic animals. Pets often play a significant role in people’s lives as:

  • ‘Social substitutes’ through forming emotional bonds
  • Inducing a sense of well-being in their owners
  • Assisting in the development of social skills among children

While these observations create a promising foundation for further investigations, the research acknowledges a lack of firm scientific data to support these claims.

Animal-Assisted Therapies

The paper moves forward to discuss Animal Assisted Therapies (AAT), where animals are used as a core element to develop or enhance certain skills in patients. This is based on the hypothesis that human-animal interactions could have therapeutic effects. The researchers investigate this line, citing experimental data from animal models that suggest the potential of AAT. However, clear methodologies or strategies are yet to be established due to insufficient scientific evidence to determine the most appropriate species or procedures for this purpose.

Limitations and Concerns

While improvements are recorded in both scenarios, the research makes it clear that scientific data is mostly missing, hence describing the hypotheses as not conclusively demonstrable at present. The paper also raises concerns about the welfare of the animals being used in such contexts. The ethical treatment of animals during research and therapy sessions is emphasized, suggesting that it should be a crucial aspect while administering such therapies. The study concludes that more in-depth research is necessary in both areas to validate the observations and find more substantial facts.

Cite This Article

APA
Grandgeorge M, Hausberger M. (2011). Human-animal relationships: from daily life to animal-assisted therapies. Ann Ist Super Sanita, 47(4), 397-408. https://doi.org/10.4415/ANN_11_04_12

Publication

Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita
ISSN: 2384-8553
NlmUniqueID: 7502520
Country: Italy
Language: English
Volume: 47
Issue: 4
Pages: 397-408

Researcher Affiliations

Grandgeorge, Marine
  • Laboratoire Ethos, Ethologie Animal et Humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France. marine.grandgeorge@chu-brest.fr
Hausberger, Martine

    MeSH Terms

    • Animal Assisted Therapy / methods
    • Animal Welfare
    • Animals
    • Animals, Domestic
    • Camelids, New World
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Guinea Pigs
    • Horses
    • Human-Animal Bond
    • Humans
    • Mental Disorders / rehabilitation
    • Rabbits

    Citations

    This article has been cited 14 times.
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      doi: 10.3390/ani12050580pubmed: 35268155google scholar: lookup
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      doi: 10.3390/children8010013pubmed: 33383714google scholar: lookup
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      doi: 10.3390/ani10112136pubmed: 33212986google scholar: lookup
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      doi: 10.3390/ani10010043pubmed: 31878310google scholar: lookup
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      doi: 10.3390/ani9121030pubmed: 31779120google scholar: lookup
    8. Rodrigo-Claverol M, Casanova-Gonzalvo C, Malla-Clua B, Rodrigo-Claverol E, Jové-Naval J, Ortega-Bravo M. Animal-Assisted Intervention Improves Pain Perception in Polymedicated Geriatric Patients with Chronic Joint Pain: A Clinical Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Aug 9;16(16).
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    10. De Santis M, Contalbrigo L, Borgi M, Cirulli F, Luzi F, Redaelli V, Stefani A, Toson M, Odore R, Vercelli C, Valle E, Farina L. Equine Assisted Interventions (EAIs): Methodological Considerations for Stress Assessment in Horses. Vet Sci 2017 Sep 8;4(3).
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    11. Siah KT, Wong RK, Chan YH, Ho KY, Gwee KA. Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Singapore and Its Association with Dietary, Lifestyle, and Environmental Factors. J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2016 Oct 30;22(4):670-676.
      doi: 10.5056/jnm15148pubmed: 26951047google scholar: lookup
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    13. Kim SH. The Role of Pet-Based Activities: Working with Rabbits to Improve Self-Esteem in Preschool Children. Animals (Basel) 2024 Dec 10;14(24).
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    14. Potier JF, Louzier V. Evaluation of stress markers in horses during hippotherapy sessions in comparison to being ridden by beginners. Anim Welf 2023;32:e10.
      doi: 10.1017/awf.2023.6pubmed: 38487430google scholar: lookup
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