Research shows there are many benefits inherent in the family-pet bond. Yet, there are also consequences. For every medical intervention, there are corresponding emotional responses. For example, human emotions accompany the treatment of a pet’s illness, injury, undesirable behavior, and most certainly, a pet’s death. Without the knowledge and skills necessary to offer appropriate kinds of help, it’s easy to feel burdened by the emotional, inter-personal demands of day-to-day veterinary practice.

Thus, veterinarians must know how to reach out to others during emotional times. Bond-Centered Practice provides a systematic approach to dealing with the emotional, non-medical needs of pet owners and their staff. The Bond-Centered Practice approach provides clear information on how to implement useful, practical, and realistic protocols, referrals networks, communication techniques, and direct service programs in order to provide human support. Strategies for building trust and loyalty with clients and staff, providing animal behavior support, and handling end of life issues are presented.

*The term Bond-Centered Practice was created by Laurel Lagoni, Carolyn Butler and Suzanne Hetts and was outlined in their text The Human-Animal Bond and Grief (W.B. Saunders, 1994). It has been further developed by the Argus Institute staff at Colorado State University.