Social capital generates collective benefits for a community, making it stronger and more resilient. This qualitative study explored how the inclusion of pets can shape social capital within Australian retirement villages. Semi-structured interviews with village managers and residents identified five themes: perceptions of the impact of pets on (1) owners; (2) other residents; (3) the community; and (4) contextual factors influencing the impact of pets in retirement villages. However, there was an unexpected fifth theme identified around the impact that living in a retirement village could have on pets. Findings indicate that pet-friendly villages can bolster individual well-being and collective social capital. Hence, flexible, adaptable, co-designed policies should include pets as part of the community, as well as incorporating the needs of people who are intolerant of pets for medical, cultural, or personal reasons.
Collier et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
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