Zoetis has released two new videos as part of The Pet Effect, an educational campaign to raise awareness of pets’ positive health benefits for humans, and how, by extension, veterinary professionals are key contributors to public health. To help publicize The Pet Effect, Zoetis has partnered with the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI). “The Pet Effect aims to put veterinarians at the center of the conversation with pet owners and potential pet owners about how human and pet health are connected,” said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DABVP, executive director, Zoetis Petcare Marketing. “As a HABRI co-founder, Zoetis firmly supports human-animal bond research, and we hope these videos and new research results will help spread the word of the physical and emotional benefits of pet ownership.” Who saved who? The Pet Effect campaign has assembled scientific evidence that demonstrates how pets improve heart health, alleviate depression, increase well-being, support child health and development, and contribute to healthy aging, as well as assist in treating a range of conditions from autism spectrum disorder to Alzheimer’s disease to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The campaign videos, Comrade and Adopt a Human, portray two situations in which pets can positively affect the physical and emotional well-being of their humans. The first video depicts the pains veterans go through during PTSD episodes and how service dogs can help them defeat the symptoms that arise from the condition. The second video demonstrates that adopting shelter pets can save both the animals and the people who adopt them. “For a veteran suffering from PTSD, a positive change in their psychological well-being and higher levels of life satisfaction are huge milestones to celebrate—and that’s why we know The Pet Effect is a true game-changer,” said Steven Feldman, HABRI executive director. The veterinary effect By keeping pets healthy, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other pet health professionals also play an integral role in human health. The Pet Effect website features humorous and serious videos, social media posts, and other assets that veterinarians can share with their clients to explain the health benefits of the human-animal bond. Research has shown that pet owners had a more favorable perception of their veterinarian if they displayed The Pet Effect materials in their practice.1 When pet owners understand that their pet’s health is intrinsically linked to their own, they may be more encouraged to bring their pets to their veterinarian for regular checkups. Learn more about The Pet Effect and view the videos at ThePetEffect.org. To download veterinarian-centric content, visit ThePetEffect.org/vet. Learn more about HABRI’s human-animal bond research, including a new PTSD study at HABRI.org.
