Earlier this year, a video went viral about a man, Eric O’Grey, and his dog, Peety. The video celebrates the love between people and their pets, but for Eric and Peety, it is much more. According to NPR, who picked up the story in March, the duo helped save each other’s lives. They taught each other to care for their physical and mental health, and to take pride in each other’s progress.

So, is this just a nice story of a man and his dog – or do animals truly make our lives better?

The philosophy behind the work of many students and faculty at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is that they do. In fact, the college developed a program called Cornell Companions, dedicated solely “to the development of the Human-Animal Bond.” Through the program, veterinary students and Ithaca volunteers visit nursing home patients, children with disabilities and hospital patients “with the belief that animals enhance the lives of all people.” The program goals include education, service and partnership which are achieved through a holistic design that benefits pets, students and volunteers, and individuals within the Ithaca community.

Robin G. Hamlisch, Program Director of Cornell Companions, says,

“Cornell Companions has touched so many groups and individuals in our community.  The human/animal bond is such a strong one that being in the company of our pets calms, enriches, motivates and envelopes those people with whom we connect.

“A child speaks her first words at 4 years old – ‘Pepper,’ which is the name of the dog she has been visiting with for two years; the wheelchair-bound little boy’s eyes light up when one of our dogs, who is also in a “wheelchair (aka doggie cart)” comes to visit with him.

“Cornell Companions volunteers and pets also find visiting with others to be rewarding and enriching our own lives.  We all benefit, humans and animals, from being with each other in the world.”

As anyone who has ever owned a pet can attest to, the affection a dog or cat has for its owner is unconditional and without boundaries or judgment – a kind of affection that is rare between humans but which allows individuals to feel safe and to grow. Pets are playmates, companions and confidants – and perhaps even more importantly, as with Peety and O’Grey, they depend on their owners and make them feel needed and valued.

This article was written by Cecelia Madsen.