My Family And Other Animals - Pets As Kin

Research by The University of Warwick, to be presented to a conference of the British Sociological Association, (BSA) later this month, will show how the traditional boundary between people and their pets is now often blurred.

The research is based on a survey in which families were asked to map their relationships..

The unexpected results found that when people were asked to map out their families and friends, researchers were repeatedly asked if they should include their dog, their cat or another pet.

Professor Nickie Charles explained:

"Often the request was made with a smile, but about a quarter of those surveyed asked if they could include pets.

"In some ways it makes sense that people value those family and friends which are most useful to them. If pets are useful, either as assistance animals or simply as company, then they have greater emotional value to individuals than a relative we just keep on our Christmas card list."

Of the 193 people asked to draw up a Relationship Network Diagram, 44 spontaneously mentioned pets. Professor Charles says the traditional socially constructed boundary between people and nature is often blurred in this way.

The paper My Family and other Animals: Pets as Kin will be presented at the British Sociological Association Conference at the University of Warwick, 28- 30 March 2008.