2026/05/18 by Michela C. Arlia, Sara Eder, Antonella Guadagnino +3 · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Social Sciences · #Geographies of human-animal interactions #Human-Animal Interaction Studies #Themes in Literature Analysis
paper · doi:10.1080/08927936.2026.2667027
openalex publication_date 2026/05/18 · openalex created_date 2026/05/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
An increasing number of children in the United States are growing up in multispecies families, a contemporary family structure where humans and companion animals form close bonds and share daily life, further fulfilling children’s attachment needs, providing social support, and contributing to psychosocial wellbeing. A burgeoning body of work highlights the important role of companion animals in shaping developmental outcomes across diverse domains. Few studies examine how young children in multispecies families perceive and construct their relationships in the context of growing cultural sentimentalization of pets. Using interview and drawing methods, we explored children’s perspectives on their relationships with their companion animals. We recruited 24 parent–child dyads in the US (children aged 3–7 years). We interviewed parents, asked children to draw and describe their favorite memories with their pets, and interviewed children about their relationships with companion animals. Our analyses revealed three themes: children constructed companion animals as family members, integrated them into daily activities, and attributed subjectivity to them. Our findings highlight how children navigate complex relationships with animals, providing implications for child development, empathy, and the human–animal bond within multispecies families.