Veterinarians:  The Vital Link of the Human-Animal Bond, by sixth term student, Brittany King

"This paper has been written as a Special Project for the 6th Term Ethics and Jurisprudence Course. The views and opinions of the author do not necessarily represent those of the School of Veterinary Medicine or of St. Georges University."

In photo: Brittany

News Flash: Local citizens are in an uproar about the unbending state regulatory sign posting “No Dogs Allowed on the Beach, Fines Will Be Enforced”.  Why shouldn’t their dogs, “the other member of their family”, be allowed on the beach?  Citizens view the law as cruel and out-dated when the value of the human-animal bond has become ever so important.  At no point during this television interview with the outraged local citizens were the serious risks of zoonotic disease transmission addressed.  Whose responsibility is it to preserve the human-animal bond but also to protect the health of the people?  Enter Bond, Doctor Bond, today’s veterinarian.

The AVMA defines the human-animal bond as a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and other animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well-being of both.  Animals have played a vital part of our lives for thousands of years.  The domestication of canines occurred over 12,000 years ago while farm animal domestication shortly followed at 10,000 years ago.  Evidence of the human-feline bond dates back to 9,500 years ago.  Animals play numerous roles in our lives emotionally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually.  Although people have always been close to animals, in the past 50 years, the role of an animal has changed to the role of a companion.  Society is changing and veterinary medicine is changing.  As veterinary medicine serves society, it fulfills both human and animal needs.  In order to promote a healthy society, it is critical to appreciate the many roles animals play in our lives with regards to the human-animal bond and to understand the veterinarian’s role and responsibility in preserving this bond on all levels while still protecting society.

The strong positive impact of the human-animal bond is real.  People are taught that too much of a good thing can be bad.  Not often are things we like good for us both physically and mentally except when it comes to pets and the human-animal bond...

Read more...