Companion animal

A companion animal is kept primarily for companionship and participates in a close relationship with people. The term emphasizes the animal’s social role rather than its economic use.

Human–animal bond: The emotional, social, and practical connection between people and other animals. This bond is the defining relationship behind keeping an animal for companionship.
Animal-assisted therapy: A goal-directed therapeutic intervention that incorporates animals into treatment or rehabilitation. Some companion animals are trained and included in structured clinical care.
Domestication: The multigenerational process by which populations of organisms adapt to living with humans. Domestication shaped many species commonly kept as companions.
Pet overpopulation: A surplus of dogs and cats relative to the number of suitable homes available for them. Unplanned breeding and relinquishment can leave companion animals without homes.
Anthrozoology: The interdisciplinary study of interactions and relationships between humans and other animals. It examines companion-animal relationships through social, psychological, and biological research.
Emotional support animal: An animal whose presence provides emotional support related to a person’s disability or mental health condition. This role centers on companionship as support, though legal recognition varies by jurisdiction.
Animal welfare: The physical and psychological state of an animal and the conditions affecting it. A companion animal’s quality of life depends on more than affection or ownership.
Zoonosis: An infectious disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Close contact with companion animals can create opportunities for disease transmission.
Pet keeping: The practice of caring for animals kept in human households, often for companionship. It is the everyday practice most closely associated with companion animals.
Guide dog: A trained dog that helps a person with visual impairment navigate safely. Guide dogs combine a close human partnership with a specific assistance role.

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