Pets can be a barrier to treatment: doctors have suggested taking them into account when admitting patients to hospital

Caring for a pet can influence a person’s decision to seek medical help, agree to be admitted to hospital, or stay in hospital for as long as necessary. Dr Reshma Jagsi of Emory University and veterinary surgeon Rustin Moore of Ohio State University suggest that hospitals should take such responsibilities into account as part of a patient’s social circumstances.

Their article has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This is not a new clinical study, but an expert review based on existing surveys and research into the bond between humans and pets.

Details

The authors note that in the US, approximately two-thirds of households have pets, and most owners regard their animals as members of the family. For people who live alone or do not have reliable support nearby, the need to feed, walk or treat a pet can become a real reason to postpone their own treatment.

According to the authors, healthcare professionals rarely ask patients whether they have pets at home and who will be able to look after them whilst they are in hospital. As a result, a patient’s decision to refuse treatment or leave hospital early may appear unfounded, even though in reality they are trying to resolve the issue of pet care.

Jags and Moore suggest adding a simple question about pets to the medical history form. If a patient has no one who can temporarily take on this responsibility, the hospital could involve a social worker or a case manager.

Another option is for hospitals to collaborate with animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and volunteer and foster care networks, which are able to organise temporary care for the animal whilst the owner is undergoing treatment.

Why this is important

The authors view the relationship between a person and their pet as one of the factors that can influence access to medical care. This approach broadens the conventional understanding of a patient’s social circumstances: problems may be linked not only to money, transport or childcare, but also to responsibility for a pet.

However, the study does not prove that the proposed scheme will actually reduce the number of treatment refusals or premature discharges. The authors did not conduct a clinical trial nor did they evaluate the effectiveness of a specific programme. Their conclusion is a practical recommendation that has yet to be tested within real-world healthcare systems.

Source

Rustin M. Moore, Reshma Jagsi. Human–Animal Bonds as Social Determinants of Health Care Access. New England Journal of Medicine, published 29 August 2026. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2605774.

Further reading: Phys.org / Emory University.