School of Health Sciences, Massey University, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jun 21;20(13):6199. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20136199.
There is growing interest in the health-promoting potential of human-companion animal relationships from a broad public health perspective while acknowledging barriers to ownership, particularly for older adults. Companion animal fostering is an alternative to pet ownership that aligns with the Ottawa Charter health promotion principle that caring for others in everyday settings promotes health. This narrative review of the literature on companion animal fostering draws on Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four-sided house), an indigenous model of health that is influential in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and the Ottawa Charter. We found that companion animal fostering can be considered health-promoting for human and non-human animals, using a broad and multidimensional understanding of health. As well as improving the long-term outcomes for homeless animals, companion animal fostering has the potential to promote the health of the individuals, families, and communities who provide foster homes. Our review highlights the importance of health promoters considering the reciprocal relationship between human and animal health. Future research should explore different aspects of human and non-human health, perspectives of different types of fosterers in different settings and communities, barriers to fostering, and methods that explore the role of caring for a wider range of companion animals in creating and sustaining wellbeing.
从广泛的公共卫生角度来看，人们对促进人类-伴侣动物关系的健康潜力越来越感兴趣，同时也认识到拥有宠物的障碍，特别是对于老年人。伴侣动物寄养是一种替代宠物拥有的方式，符合渥太华宪章促进健康的原则，即在日常环境中照顾他人可以促进健康。这篇关于伴侣动物寄养的文献综述借鉴了 Te Whare Tapa Whā（四四方方的房子），这是一种在新西兰有影响力的本土健康模式，以及渥太华宪章。我们发现，从广泛和多维的健康理解来看，伴侣动物寄养可以被认为对人类和非人类动物都具有促进健康的作用。伴侣动物寄养不仅可以改善无家可归动物的长期结局，还有可能促进提供寄养家庭的个人、家庭和社区的健康。我们的综述强调了健康促进者考虑人与动物健康之间相互关系的重要性。未来的研究应该探索不同类型的寄养者在不同环境和社区中的不同观点、寄养的障碍以及探索更广泛的伴侣动物护理在创造和维持幸福感方面的作用的方法。
