Historical Perspectives on the Human-Animal Bond

The term human-animal bond (HAB) was used prominently in 1979 in Scotland, but the concept had been articulated by Konrad Lorenz and Boris Levinson earlier. International and national conferences in the 1970s and 1980s and their published proceedings brought wide attention to the HAB, as did media coverage of community animal-assisted activity and therapy programs and service dog training programs. Much of the progress in the HAB can be attributed to veterinary leaders, university centers, conferences, and publications. Other professions were slower to see the value of the HAB. The need for a research base for the field was recognized early by the Delta Society and key individuals. The majority of funding for HAB research, programs, and conferences has come from the pet industry. The HAB field is shifting to a focus on the importance of human-animal interactions to human health and well-being.