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Research on the

Human-Animal Bond

Research is emerging about the positive effects that animal-assisted interventions have on people.

These include therapy animal visits, equine therapies, companion animals, service animals and more.

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Below are just a few examples of these studies.

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For more information, please visit the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)

where you can find studies in full along with other related research in a variety of fields. 

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Additionally, we are including relevant, professionally written and researched articles, blogs, and infographics that may answer some of your human-animal bond questions.

Startling Statistics

Thousands of people are experiencing physical, emotional or cognitive challenges that are not helped by traditional medical therapies. Yet many of these challenges can be supported by a service animal or a therapy animal interaction. Further, many people are either unaware that support is available to them, services aren’t available in their community or it is simply cost-prohibitive.


Examples of just a few challenges:

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  • In 2019, 1.7 Million cases of cancer were diagnosed (cancer.org)

  • More than 100 Million Americans have diabetes or pre-diabetes (cdc.gov)

  • Approximately 5.7 Million Americans are living with Alzheimers, and worldwide 50 million people live with dementia. (alz.org)

  • 3.5 Million Americans are living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (cdc.gov)

  • Each day approximately 17-22 veterans die by suicide (ptsd.va.gov)


While these challenges won’t likely disappear in the near future, people are finding relief from therapies that augment traditional medicine. Scientific studies now show what so many of us have known to be true: that humans and animals share a special, mutually beneficial connection, and this connection when applied through human-animal interactions positively impacts people.

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