human-animal relationship

Anthrozoology, also known as human–animal studies (HAS), is the subset of ethnobiology that deals with interactions between humans and other animals. It is an interdisciplinary field that overlaps with other disciplines including anthropology, ethnology, medicine, psychology, social work, veterinary medicine, and zoology. A major focus of anthrozoologic research is the quantification of the positive effects of human–animal relationships on both parties and the study of their interactions. It includes scholars from fields such as anthropology, sociology, biology, history, and philosophy. The term should not be confused with "animal studies", which often refers to animal testing.
Anthrozoology scholars, such as Pauleen Bennett, recognize the lack of scholarly attention given to nonhuman animals in the past, and to the relationships between human and nonhuman animals, especially in the light of the magnitude of animal representations, symbols, stories, and their actual physical presence in human societies. Rather than a unified approach, the field currently comprises several methods adapted from the participating disciplines to encompass human–nonhuman animal relationships, along with occasional efforts to develop sui generis methods.

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