Love, Safety, and Companionship: The Human-Animal Bond and Latino Families

A survey found that 69.2% of a sample of 208 Latino university students in south Texas owned companion animals. Dogs were the most commonly owned companion animals, and 92% of dog and cat guardians regarded their companion animals as family members. Over 80% of the dog and cat guardians specified companionship and unconditional love as benefits offered by their animals. Eighty-six percent of dog guardians, compared to 44% of cat guardians, received a sense of safety from their animals. Assessment of the role of a companion animal in a family should guide a practitioner's decision about whether and how to include the animal in therapeutic interventions.