The benefits of animal companionship for human wellbeing are well-known. Our pets can help keep us active and give us an opportunity to ‘de-stress’; they provide an outlet for our desire to nurture and care for another being and they provide unconditional love and stability in an increasingly complex world.
For many of us, pets are much loved companions but for vulnerable or isolated people, they can be a lifeline. They provide friendship, security and continuity if the relationship is appropriate, mutually beneficial and well supported.