New report addresses key role for pets to combat loneliness

In the midst of a growing loneliness epidemic, pets will be a vital resource for people who are socially isolated, a new report says.

The report is a collaboration between Mars Petcare and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, as well as a group of animal organizations dedicated to education, animal health and public policy. It shares recommendations from the group’s Summit on Social Isolation and Companion Animals.

Loneliness affects three in five Americans and 9 million people in the United Kingdom, according to the announcement from Mars and HABRI. In a survey of 2,000 people conducted by the organizations, 85% of the respondents said they believe interaction with companion animals can help reduce loneliness.

“There is increasing evidence that pets can play an important role in helping people feel less lonely and more socially connected,” said Steven Feldman, HABRI’s executive director. “Together with the leadership of Mars Petcare and a group of other experts and stakeholders, HABRI will work to address the crisis of loneliness in our society with the power of the human-animal bond.”

Studies have shown that pet owners are less likely to be obese, more likely to meet physical activity guidelines and have a reduced risk of heart disease, the report says. Pets also have benefits for mental health: A literature review found that pets may benefit people with mental health problems, including providing a distraction from the stresses of managing mental health conditions. Pet owners have been found to be more socially connected than non-pet owners.

The report calls for a three-pronged approach to tackling the issue:

First, researchers should continue to examine the connection between pets and loneliness: “An effort should be made to re-conceptualize the way pet ownership is measured,” the report says. “Instead of considering whether there is a pet in the home, research should take into account the quality of interaction that people have with pets and the degree to which they are attached to those pets.”

Next, these research findings and best practices need to be shared widely. By supporting best practices, the report says, “we can ensure that animal-assisted interventions in hospitals, nursing homes and doctors’ offices are following the science and doing the best job they possibly can.”

And finally, advocates should identify barriers to pet ownership and companion animal interactions, and find ways to address those barriers.

“We must harness the collective science, reach and scale of both HABRI and Mars to work with the many people who made the Summit possible to make our ambition of solving this societal problem a reality,” the report concludes. “There is a very real and significant opportunity to bring pets and people together in a way that makes a real difference in the world.”