My Pet World: The human-animal bond can work wonders
He didn't grow up with pets. His mother didn't even like pets, but psychologist Aubrey Fine sure appreciates their value.
"I know there's a connection that can heal, and it's a connection we don't even quite yet understand," he says.
Thirty years ago, Fine was among a select few pioneers working to explain that connection, referred to as the human-animal bond. He set out to describe the power of healing paws using science rather than anecdotal evidence.
However, anecdotes aren't all bad.
"True stories that touch the heart are worth telling," Fine says.
His most recent book, "Our Faithful Companions: Exploring the Essence of Our Kinship With Animals" (Alpine Publications, Crawford, CO, 2014; $14.95), offers many heartwarming anecdotes that illustrate the value of pets.
Fine writes about a veterinarian who explained that veterinary school prepared him very well to understand the physiology of his patients and to treat illness, but didn't prepare him for the strong commitment pet owners have for their animals.
"Going back to the 1950s, (the) same veterinarian euthanized a dog who meant everything to one couple. Of course, they were so very sad, and this veterinarian empathized." A short time later, the clients returned and presented the vet with a wallet as a small token of their appreciation.
"It's over 50 years later and that wallet is still around to remind the veterinarian that there are two ends of the leash," Fine says.
A Distinguished Professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Fine offers another, far more personal anecdote. His wife, Nya, felt that adding another dog to a three-dog household would be too much, until she heard about one particular litter back in 2005.
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