From snouts to souls: Celebrating the spectrum of love

This podcast is sponsored by VCA Animal Hospitals.

Happy Pride dvm360 readers! To celebrate and recognize pride month, this episode of the Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360 welcomes Jennifer Scanlon, LCSW, to the show to talk about the importance of the human-animal bond for those in the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the episode, Scanlon and our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, share personal stories on the impact pets have on emotional well-being, a pet that has had an profound impact on their lives, and how pets can even facilitate social interactions and bridge social gaps for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: I think what some of the listeners and you tuning in, the viewers, may not know is there's a very, very we all have a special bond with our pets. We know that they're our companions, or our world. And you know...the LGBTQ+ community is very, very bonded to them. So let's chat about that, and what, what ways do pets serve as companions for the community, especially during times of social isolation or even discrimination? And you know, we know pets that serve as vital sources of our emotional support, connection and identity affirmation. So, you know, what does that look like from your perspective?

Jennifer Scanlon, LCSW: Yeah, I think, you know, pets just create a nurturing environment. Well, LGBT individuals can truly be themselves, and they, pets just offer such a comforting and like, almost like a non judgmental presence. And the 2 most common words I hear from pet owners that our pets give to us is that they receive from their pet is unconditional love. And so this bond is especially really important during difficult times and even very vulnerable times. And so that companionship actually helps combat, you know, those feelings of isolation and discrimination and even loneliness, and the bonds that we have with our pets, it's genuine, right? It's like they're very genuine, and it creates a sense of belonging.

And so every moment that they're having with their pets together is just a source of joy and emotional support. So in a world that can sometimes feel unaccepting, you know, pets serve as allies, and with the work that I do with within the community, I often hear a big theme is that their pets are often their first allies in their lives. And that is powerful, and it just reminds us that just the importance of pets and how they provide us with love and connection and just acceptance. And I just feel like pets can really find, we can always find light in our pets presence, and that's just like a wonderful thing.