Examining the Social Benefits of Human-Animal Interaction in Urban Bangladesh
| dc.contributor.advisor | Dell, Colleen Anne | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Kang, Timothy | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Bradford, Lori | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Quinlan, Elizabeth | |
| dc.creator | Kamal, Abu-Hena Mostofa | |
| dc.creator.orcid | 0000-0002-2529-3685 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-09-14T17:59:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-09-14T17:59:17Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2022 | |
| dc.date.created | 2022-08 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-09-14 | |
| dc.date.submitted | August 2022 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2022-09-14T17:59:18Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Companion animals have the potential to provide friendship and support to their owners by decreasing loneliness and promoting social interaction with other humans. Despite a myriad of anecdotal evidence, there is limited published information in Bangladesh on the role that human-companion animal interaction may have in the well-being of humans. Research on human-animal interaction (HAI) with companion animals has received very little or no attention in Bangladesh, focusing almost exclusively on zoonotic disease transmission. Guided by the concept of zooeyia – which acknowledges the positive health impacts of animals in human lives, this exploratory study aimed to understand the historic and contemporary roles of and perceptions about the social benefits and challenges of having a companion animal in urban Bangladesh. In addition, my study examined the role of HAI in strengthening the social interaction of pet owners with other individuals and its impact on human well-being. Thirty-five qualitative interviews were conducted with companion animal owners (20), companion animal sellers (10), and livestock service officers (five) from two major cities of Bangladesh, namely Dhaka and Khulna. Drawing on some relevant and key concepts of the One Health framework, symbolic interaction theory, social support theory and attachment theory, thematic analysis was applied to analyze and explain the findings of my study. The findings relay that in the past, companion animals were considered a symbol of aristocracy, a means of security for households, and a subject of entertainment for the owners. Nowadays, owners feel an attachment to their companion animals due to receiving emotional, social, and physical support from them. Companion animal ownership is contributing to social problems, including conflict between animal owners and others. Further, religious identity, ownership of residence, and the likelihood of transmitting diseases are key determinants for not owning companion animals. The perceived benefits of social interaction far outweigh the costs of pet ownership. To my knowledge, this is the first study of its kind that examined the social impacts of HAI in Bangladesh. Therefore, the findings of this study can make a significant contribution toward understanding the role of companion animals in human well-being in Bangladeshi society. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10388/14159 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Benefits | |
| dc.subject | Human | |
| dc.subject | Companion Animal | |
| dc.subject | Interaction | |
| dc.subject | Bangladesh | |
| dc.title | Examining the Social Benefits of Human-Animal Interaction in Urban Bangladesh | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | Sociology | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Sociology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Saskatchewan | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Arts (M.A.) |