ABSTRACT
I encountered the constructs of “animal-assisted therapy” (AAT) and the “human-animal bond” (HAB) in the 1990s during my graduate studies in social work. Because there were so few people exploring ways animals impacted human mental health, I was afforded a unique opportunity to be part of a time of rich development, collaboration, and mentoring. However, I also experienced a high level of skepticism and confusion when I first started my studies in AAI, frequently hearing that my career path existed in veterinary medicine, not human health and well-being. Despite a lack of recognition that the natural world was a system of influence for healthy human development, my professors supported my determined pursuit of HAB inquiry.
