VDM Geller, K: The Power of Pets

Have you ever caught yourself talking to your pet? Have you ever reviewed a list of your best friends and realized your pet was at the top? Is your pet influential in your life? Does your pet cultivate family relationships and add emotional stability? These are just a few of the questions represented within this power of pets research. This research was designed to explore these very questions as well as the importance a pet can have on someone's life, including ways a pet affects the relationships an individual has with other family members. In this research the opinions of pet owners are reviewed, they are asked whether they feel their pet(s) love them, if they consider their pet(s) family members, if their pet(s) is their best friend and if they view their pet as a relief of distress. The results of this study showed that pets are an important aspect to people and their families. In several cases people explained that their pet represented another "family member," a "sister or brother" and that they encouraged family bonding, and often acted as a protector.