The Indiana University South Bend study, “I Can’t Be Without a Dog! Understanding Variations in Interactions and Relationships with Pets,” examines how much time people spend with their animals, what they do together, and how often the animals receive medical care.

In the United States over 60% of households have at least one companion animal. According to the results of a mail survey, 93% of dog owners and 77% of cat owners said they take their companion animals in to yearly veterinary appointments. Less than 1% of dog owners and 4% of cat owners said they never take their animals into vets.

In addition, over 80% of dog owners and 67% of cat owners said they spend more than two hours per day interacting with their animals. The vast majority spend at least some time with their companion animals each day.

In personal interviews with 35 dog owners, people reported intense emotional attachments to their dogs. In previous studies, this researcher identified three types of companion animal owners:

• Dominionists, who are fond of their companion animals but view them primarily as useful animals, not companions;
• Humanists, who see their companion animal as practically human; and
• Protectionists, who see animals as separate beings that humans have a responsibility to help and protect.

People in rural areas tend to have more Dominionist attitudes, while those in cities are somewhat more likely to have Humanist views. In addition, people with children reported attitude changes with the birth of child. Before birth, people felt more like their companion animal was their child and were less likely to feel so after the birth of a child.