Beyond the home: how pet ownership drives stray animal rescue willingness through empathy and moral obligation

Introduction: The global stray animal crisis poses significant challenges to animal welfare, public health, and community harmony. Understanding the public's willingness to rescue stray animals is therefore critical for developing effective interventions. Integrating insights from veterinary humanities and social sciences, this study examines how the human-companion animal bond, operationalized as pet ownership experience, influences rescue willingness through a sequential psychological process. Methods: Data from 447 Chinese participants were collected via questionnaire and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study examined the relationships among pet ownership experience, cognitive appraisals (perceived cuteness, suffering, and health risk), emotional empathy, moral obligation, and rescue willingness. Results: Pet ownership experience significantly increased rescue willingness by enhancing perceptions of stray animals' cuteness and suffering, which in turn strengthened animal empathy and moral obligation. A dual-path effect emerged for perceived health risk: while it generally reduced rescue willingness by weakening empathy and obligation, it also had a positive direct effect, suggesting that for some individuals, higher risk perception may signal situational urgency and motivate action. Discussion: These findings underscore that the bond formed with companion pets can be a powerful catalyst for broader animal welfare engagement. For veterinary professionals and animal welfare organizations, this study suggests that outreach strategies should leverage positive cognitive appraisals, empathetic responses, and a sense of moral responsibility, while simultaneously addressing health concerns through public education on safe rescue practices.