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 Veterinarians: The Vital Link of the Human-Animal Bond, by sixth term student, Brittany King |
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...continued... 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. Pets benefit everyone from the young to the old and the healthy to the ill in every way, shape, and form. Animals act as partners in work through search and rescue, bomb detection, natural disaster relief, and police work. They assist members of society through sight, hearing, seizure detection, visitation, and therapy programs. Research has proven that pets lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol, reduce depression, stress, and anxiety, encourage weight control, increase survival time after heart attacks, decrease the rate of minor health problems, and help to improve the eating habits, relaxation, and alertness of Alzheimer’s patients. In early childhood development, pets promote playing, exploration, independence, responsibility, loyalty, sharing, nurturing, and unconditional love. They provide a sense of security while also providing care giving opportunities if used in the classrooms. With the elderly, pets can play a pivotal role in health and well-being by increasing activity levels, providing support during losses, improving human to human interactions, transcending sensory deficits, mental changes, and mobility restrictions, and even directly acting as anti-inflammatory agents for those suffering from arthritis. The bond is real. Numerous studies, papers, and research projects have been conducted to prove that. There is an indisputable mind-body connection that is vectored by our pets which creates the balance between our minds and our bodies leading to a balance within our society. A veterinarian has a responsibility to society and an obligation to protect the human-animal bond in order to preserve that balance. The question is on what level? Tougher decisions will be made when it comes to the ethics of such issues like convenience euthanasia or the cloning of a “loved pet”. Maybe that Alzheimer’s patient’s family has to move the person into a nursing home that doesn’t allow pets, and the family doesn’t have the capability of caring for the animal. Are veterinarians meant to protect the well-being of the animal, serve the client, serve society, preserve the overall human-animal bond, or all of the above? Veterinarians protect society from harmful food-borne diseases, not just treat the animal. Veterinarians take care of the entire family, not just treat the pet. It is a multi-faceted role, but one with many rewards. The importance of pets in individual lives is growing. One of the reasons on a basic level people can have their pets live inside their houses and be closer to them further strengthening the human-animal bond is because veterinarians and pharmaceuticals have enabled pets to be free of fleas and parasites. As veterinarians, we swear to use “scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge”. Not only is the profession obligated to promote the health of the animal, but it is equally obligated to promote the health of the owner, prevent zoonotic disease transmission, protect immune-compromised clients, and preserve the human-animal bond. The challenges can be daunting but the rewards are never-ending. The human-animal bond, the roles pets play in our lives, and the responsibility of the veterinarian are vitally interwoven within society. The benefits pets provide to the individual and to society are almost immeasurable. The importance of the human in the human-animal bond is one that veterinary medicine has vowed to recognize and must conscientiously embrace however that leads the trend of the profession. Most importantly, if as a professional dedicated to serve both animals and humans one uses his or her Aesculapian power while still adhering to an internal moral code, all will be alright within the world. Resources:
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