Animals help motivate healthy behavior, participate in treatment plans for human health, and impact health outcomes. Further, they can serve as agents for harm reduction, improving poor health behaviors and increasing overall mental health and well-being. The human-animal bond (HAB) exists globally, whether between pet and pet parent, jockey and rider, or farmer and herd. Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) employ this HAB, incorporating animals into health interventions that blend contemporary medicine with holistic approaches to enhance outcomes and quality of life. Veterinarians serve a key role in ensuring the safety of these programs and the health and safety of the animal participants, working together with various professionals and volunteers to ensure success.
Animal-assisted interventions: a One Health example
Veterinarians serve in numerous capacities to benefit the robustness and welfare of humans and animals alike. Whether you work with the individual animal, a herd or flock setting, or in the public or industry sector, collectively, our profession helps benefit the HAB, public health (zoonotic disease prevention and management), the environment (minimize disease shedding, preventive strategies, and more). We even work to improve the health and well-being of people. We truly exemplify how the One Health approach to medicine serves the community and the individuals we treat.
One facet of veterinary medicine that serves human health utilizes AAIs to improve health outcomes. AAIs continue to expand, and research is ongoing about the numerous health benefits (to animals and humans) when these programs are used as part of a holistic approach to healthcare. Combining medications, behavior modifications, and AAIs, for example, improves opioid relapse prevention, supports patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, improves socialization and emotional response in people with autism, and improves cancer outcomes, among numerous other benefits. They may be used in individualized care or via group programs.1–8
Research associated with interactions with animals, not in the form of structured interventions, suggests benefits include emotional support, improved mental balance, lower depression levels, and decreased cortisol levels, suggesting stress relief possibilities simply from petting an animal.8,9 Studies of true AAI animal interactions show benefits, though more research and larger sample sizes are needed. For most of us, it is a no-brainer that animals improve how one feels, create joy, and make us smile and laugh. Still, improvements in cardiovascular health, weight management, and more may also be identified through pet ownership and further via participation in programs using AAI.8–10
