Anthrozoology

Anthrozoology is an academic discipline focusing on the relationship between people and animals. The field is very broad, encompassing many other academic subjects. Anthrozoology includes the study of how people and animals influence each other. It also focuses on how this process has changed over time, how animals came to be domesticated by humans, and how the process of domestication has changed animals. Anthrozoologists also analyze the interaction of emotional support animals and service animals with their human partners. Such animals play a significantly different role in the lives of their owners than the average pet.

In addition to personal relationships between humans and animals, the study of anthrozoology includes the broader link between humanity and the other species on Earth. Anthrozoologists study the impact of humans on animals’ natural habitats. Due to deforestation, habitat destruction, and global climate change, this impact is usually negative.

Background

Anthrozoology is the formal study of humanity’s relationship with animals. The field first developed into an academic discipline in the 1980s, when articles were published in journals suggesting that pet ownership positively affects humans’ physical and psychological health. The establishment of two academic journals, Anthrozoös and Society & Animals, gave anthrozoological researchers dedicated places to publish their work. Located at Carroll College in the United States, one of the earliest anthrozoology programs was called the Human-Animal Bond Program. It was led by Dr. Anne Perkins, one of the founders of the field.

Due to its focus on both humans and animals, anthrozoology draws from many larger, more established academic disciplines. Because the relationship between humans and animals can be traced back throughout much of human history, anthropology and archaeology are often important to anthrozoology. Additionally, the fields of biology, neurology, and psychology assist with the study of the reactions that animals cause in humans. Researchers may also measure biological signals, such as hormones, to study how people and animals respond to each other. Zoology, the study of animals, is used to better understand the animals themselves.

Anthrozoologists can trace humanity’s relationship with animals back to ancient cave paintings of animals and people. Some paintings, such as those at Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc, are more than thirty thousand years old. Using these paintings as evidence, many anthrozoologists argue that humans have an innate urge to affiliate with other forms of life that is commonly called biophilia.

Prior to the development of anthrozoology, most animal-related academic programs focused on the traits of the animals themselves. Though learning how and why animals act a certain way is important, many academics wondered about the effect humans had on animals and vice versa. For example, humans greatly altered many species of animals through the process of domestication. Some domesticated species have changed only slightly, while others bear little resemblance to their wild forms.

Overview

Anthrozoologists study many aspects of animal-human relationships that directly impact the lives of people today. For example, one common subject of anthrozoological research is the relationship between humans and their pets. Anthrozoologists have noted that the drive to build relationships with nonhuman living things has existed since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians raised and kept pet cats, and many people throughout history established friendly relationships with groups of canines. Similarly, the drive to build a positive relationship with animals exists across cultures. Civilizations across the world independently developed pets, often with different types of animals.

Some anthrozoology studies have found that pet owners tend to be healthier than non-pet owners. This phenomenon was studied by the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute. It found that owning a pet is associated with increased well-being, better heart health, fewer illnesses in children, and healthier aging. They also found that interactions with pets may help reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and autism spectrum disorder. Some healthcare workers dispute these findings, arguing that other studies have failed to find compelling evidence of the health benefits of pet ownership.

Some anthrozoologists have studied the ties between animal cruelty and violence in adulthood. Children who perpetrate acts of violence against animals are more likely to commit acts of violence as adults. In most cases, this violence is not carried out against random animals, but against pets that are considered “part of the family.”

Anthrozoology also covers relationships between animals that are specially trained to help humans. Emotional support animals are sometimes recommended to provide comfort and companionship for individuals suffering from psychological disorders. The presence of these animals eases some of the symptoms of the disorder. In many cases, these animals are legally permitted to live with their owners regardless of other restrictions. Federal air-travel regulations adopted in 2021 removed the requirement that airlines treat emotional support animals as service animals. Service animals differ from therapy animals because they are individually trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. Service animals are carefully trained to assist their owners in day-to-day tasks. Some service animals are trained to help blind people, while others are trained to assist people with low mobility. Dogs are commonly trained as service animals, although miniature horses may also be accommodated in certain circumstances.

Anthrozoology may also involve the study of indirect relationships between animals and humans. Through global climate change and large-scale habitat destruction, humanity has caused substantial declines in population numbers and increased extinction risk for many animal species. Some that have managed to survive will never be able to return to their former numbers. Many anthrozoologists argue that examining human-animal relations and animal management in areas affected by climate change may provide a greater understanding of the consequences of pollution and sudden ecological shifts.

Bibliography

Beaumont, Adriana Pisano. “Animal Abuse and Human Interpersonal Violence in Canada: An Anthrozoological Perspective on Policy, Legislation and the Need for Cross-Sector Reporting.” Animalia, 2015, animaliajournal.com/2015/06/26/animal-abuse-and-human-interpersonal-violence-in-canada-an-anthrozoological-perspective-on-policy-legislation-and-the-need-for-cross-sector-reporting/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Bekoff, Marc. “Anthrozoology: Embracing Co-existence in the Anthropocene.” Psychology Today, 13 Jan. 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/201701/anthrozoology-embracing-co-existence-in-the-anthropocene. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Brennan, Jacquie. “Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals.” ADA National Network, adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Cassidy, Rebecca. “Live With Others: Climate Change and Human-Animal Relations.” Annual Review of Anthropology, vol. 41, 2012, pp. 21–36, doi:10.1146/annurev-anthro-092611-145706. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Effects of Climate Change.” World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Hecht, Julie. “Anthrozoology: Not a Study of Ants.” Scientific American, 19 July 2013, blogs.scientificamerican.com/dog-spies/anthrozoology-not-a-study-of-ants/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Herzog, Hal. “Does Having Pets Really Make Us Healthier?” Psychology Today, 31 Aug. 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animals-and-us/201808/does-having-pets-really-make-us-healthier. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Mak, McKenie. "What Is Anthrozoology?" World Animal Protection US, 5 Dec. 2022, www.worldanimalprotection.us/latest/blogs/what-anthrozoology/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Science Update: Children and Their Dogs Have High Oxytocin Levels When Interacting with Each Other.” National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 9 Oct. 2024, www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/news/100924-children-dogs-oxytocin-levels. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Traveling by Air with Service Animals.” Federal Register, 10 Dec. 2020, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/10/2020-26679/traveling-by-air-with-service-animals. Accessed 6 June 2026.