Although perceived social support is consistently linked to positive mental health outcomes, the relative contributions of different support sources, including companion animals, remain underexplored.

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 3 representative gaps

• Friends with benefits: On the positive consequences of pet ownership. (2011) · doi

  Human interactions often provide people with considerable social support, but can pets also fulfill one’s social needs? Although there is correlational evidence that pets may help individuals facing significant life stressors, little is known about the well-being benefits of pets for everyday people.

  Keywords: pets people social human interactions often provide considerable support fulfill needs there correlational evidence help
• Perceived Human and Companion Animal Support as Predictors of Positive Emotions (2026) · doi

  Although perceived social support is consistently linked to positive mental health outcomes, the relative contributions of different support sources, including companion animals, remain underexplored.

  Keywords: support perceived social consistently linked positive mental health outcomes relative contributions different sources including companion
• Psychological Mechanisms Predicting Wellbeing in Pet Owners: Rogers’ Core Conditions versus Bowlby’s Attachment (2019) · doi

  While pet ownership may confer physical and psychological health benefits, existing research presents inconsistent findings, and the psychological mechanisms through which health benefits might be conferred are unknown.

  Keywords: psychological health benefits ownership confer physical existing presents inconsistent mechanisms conferred unknown