National Coalition The Pet Variable Launches to Make the Human-Animal Bond Part of Public Health Policy
On October 30, national public health experts, veterinarians, researchers and advocates in the United States launched The Pet Variable, a new national coalition working to make the human-animal bond an enduring part of public health and policy. The coalition said that for millions of Americans, caring for a pet is deeply connected to caring for themselves, and that it will work across health, housing, financial security and other systems to advance policies and practices that address barriers to keeping people and pets together and protect families' health, safety and stability.
The Pet Variable has nine founding members spanning public health, veterinary medicine, housing, social services, research and policy: CARE (Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity), Annie & Millie's Place, RedRover, BestyBnB, My Dog is My Home, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine, JVR Strategies and The Pet Vet Connection. Executive Director Anna Stout and the founding members were inaugurated in person at the 2026 One Health Systems Summit in San Antonio on October 31.
"When someone delays their health care because they are worried about what will happen to their pet, struggles to find stable or temporary housing that accommodates their pet, or faces financial strain trying to meet both human and veterinary needs, those aren't separate challenges. They are interconnected," said Anna Stout, the coalition's executive director. She said the coalition was created to advance policies and systems that recognize that connection and support the health and stability of the whole family.
The launch came alongside a policy proposal by the nonprofit AlignCare Health, "Recognizing the Human-Animal Bond as a Social Determinant of Health," published in the newly launched peer-reviewed, open-access Journal of One Health Systems. The paper cites a body of research: up to 70% of American families include a pet; 61.5% of healthcare providers surveyed reported encountering a patient at least once a month who delayed treatment because of pet-related concerns; while 50% of landlords allow pets, only 9% do so without size or species restrictions, and 27% of respondents in another study said the cost of a pet deposit itself created a barrier; 18% to 48% of domestic violence survivors delayed leaving an abusive situation out of concern for their pet, while just 18% of domestic violence shelters accept pets nationally; and pet ownership was estimated to have generated $11.8 billion in U.S. healthcare cost savings in 2015 alone, from reduced doctor visits and decreased obesity.
On policy, the coalition said Colorado earlier this year enacted legislation recognizing the human-animal bond as a social determinant of health, while Massachusetts, Arizona and New York City have advanced efforts to reduce barriers facing pet families, particularly in housing. At the federal level, the coalition will advocate for recognition of the human-animal bond within Healthy People 2040. Andy Bond, co-founder of BestyBnB, said something as simple as providing temporary care for a pet can make all the difference in helping someone access support, while Jamie Blackburn, a housing policy specialist at the MSPCA, said the coalition offers a chance to bring local policy progress into nationwide conversations about public policy.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：少女在户外抱着自己的小狗（资料图）。Paolo Neo 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A girl outdoors holding her small dog (file photo). Photo by Paolo Neo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
