Animal Soulmates
In today’s society, animals are so much more than simply “pets”. Many consider their animal to be their very best friend, their constant companion, helping them navigate the world when life gets tough. Animals are now members of the family, who have birthday parties, argyle sweaters, and a stocking with their name embroidered, which is hung by the fireplace during the holidays. In some cases, animals may even be considered soulmates. And while the deep connection between people and animals is undeniable, the immense grief associated with losing a furry best friend, a feathered family member, or an animal soulmate is rarely discussed.
Dr. Abbie Viscardi, an animal welfare scientist, had an animal soulmate. She came in the form of a black lab named Amira. When Dr. Abbie lost her beloved dog after 13.5 years together, she was broken, and found minimal institutional and social support for pet parents suffering such a profound loss. Why is losing an animal soulmate viewed so differently from losing a human soulmate? Why are people not able to grieve the loss of a pet the way they are able to grieve the loss of a family member? How do other pet parents feel about their animals and can these stories bring awareness to the impact animals have on people, in life and in death?
In this podcast, Dr. Abbie chats with scientists, veterinarians, and fellow pet parents, to honour the stories of their animal soulmates and to uncover the true power of the human-animal bond!
Animal Soulmates
Ep 3: A Scientist Studying Human-Canine and Human-Equine Interactions with Dr. Leanne Nieforth
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Leanne Nieforth, a scientist who studies human-animal interactions in the context of animal-assisted interventions. Dr. Nieforth is putting the science behind what we feel when we interact with an animal. Specifically, we chat about the positive impacts a service dog can have on veterans suffering from PTSD and the healing power of horses.
Links: Content warning: this episode includes conversations of suicide, suicidal ideation, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans. Please take care while listening.
Veterans Crisis Line (24 hour support): Dial 988 then Press 1 or Text 838255
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
Organizations that provide service dogs for veterans:
- K9s for Warriors: https://k9sforwarriors.org/
- Canine Companions: https://canine.org/
Guest info
Website: https://leannenieforth.com/research/
- Links directly to the research sources discussed in this episode
Contact us
Podcast Instagram and TikTok: @animalsoulmatespod
Podcast email: animalsoulmatespod@outlook.com
Credits
Host & Executive Producer: Dr. Abbie Viscardi
Production Team: Citizens of Sound, https://www.citizensofsound.com/