Social isolation and loneliness are increasing in our society. A survey¹ by the Co-Op and the British Red Cross revealed over 9 million people in the UK of all ages are either always or often lonely. Research by Holt-Lunstad, Smith & Layton² showed that the effect of loneliness and isolation on mortality is comparable to the impact of well-known risk factors such as obesity and has a similar influence as cigarette smoking.

Clifford Warwick PGDip(MedSci) CBiol CSci EurProBiol FRSB
Biologist & Medical Scientist

Think about it: raising a human baby comes with all the support of experienced grandparents, friends, and a highly skilled health service – complete with qualified and regulated advice on everything from getting pregnant to seeing one’s offspring into the wider world. On top of that, nurturing a child is innate – nature’s education perfectly tailored. Does that mean everything will be easy and go well? Certainly not! But when things go wrong, the best of back-ups are on tap to help, whatever the problem.

SCAS are delighted to announce a three-year funding scheme to support research which furthers our understanding of the human-animal bond. The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviours that are essential to the health and wellbeing of both. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, animals, and the environment.

Purina PetCare has teamed up with a social entrepreneurship pioneer to launch a competition promoting the pet-human bond.

The Purina BetterwithPets Prize aims to identify enterprises and individuals across the globe that harness the power of the bond through providing innovative solutions to issues such as emotional disconnection, trauma, social isolation and health problems.

The story of Bob Harvey and his little dog Darcie must be one of the saddest.  After his wife of over 50 years developed dementia Bob, his wife Margaret and their beloved dog Darcie moved into a pet friendly care home in the South of Scotland. They were promised a home where they could all stay together for the rest of their days.  Bob reluctantly sold their home, closing the door to their previous life, in order that they could fund the care home costs – comforted by the prospect that they would at least all be together.  Although it was Margaret’s condition that had necessitated the move, Bob was not a well man either. When he had suffered an aortic aneurysm 20 years ago, he was not expected to survive.  He was given up for dead twice on the operating table. He miraculously pulled through, but without kidney function. Since his near death event, Bob has been a dialysis patient, undergoing treatment three times weekly.