Being well together: A relational approach to the study of pet ownership and human wellbeing

In the expanding field of human-animal interaction (HAI) research, studies examining the relationship between pet ownership and human health and wellbeing have struggled with inconsistent and inconclusive findings around whether interacting with a pet has a positive, negative, or even a significant impact. These inconsistencies have driven efforts to interrogate methodological approaches and strengthen scientific rigor in HAI research, aiming to develop a clearer and fuller understanding of how pet ownership can affect human health and wellbeing. This article examines whether prominent approaches to understanding both relationships between humans and companion animals, and the concept of wellbeing itself, can adequately capture the complexity of their interrelations. We surmise that the disciplinary traditions within HAI research have shaped the treatment of the key subjects – humans, animals, and wellbeing – in ways that lead to the issues presented in the literature today. Aiming to contribute to addressing this challenge, we propose that embracing a relational approach would help generate a more holistic understanding of human-animal relationships and the ways in which they affect human wellbeing. A relational approach, which sees humans, animals, and wellbeing not as fixed entities but emerging through fluid interrelationships and contexts, can help us better understand the dynamic nature of the ‘pet-effect’ question. Taking the concept of the ‘multispecies family’ as an example, we illustrate how relational thinking can reveal both the complexity and significance of modern pet-owner relationships, going beyond a simple ‘pet-effect’. Finally, we end with future directions for relational HAI research and its impact beyond academia. While significant expertise already exists in the HAI space, diversifying the concepts and approaches we use, while being sensitive to their differing methodological and philosophical roots, will enhance our collective efforts to better understand how people and pets can create wellbeing together. Overall, rather than attempting to conclude the existence of a generic ‘pet-effect’ at large, we advocate for further attention to the specific ways in which understandings and experiences of wellbeing emerge within these frequently profound, yet diverse, human-animal relationships.