Avaliação da percepção da sociedade em relação aos animais de companhia como membros da família

Abstract

The relationship between humans and animals has been transforming since prehistoric times when relationships with animals were professional in nature. However, with domestication, these bonds have become affectionate, establishing these animals as family members. This new family configuration is called a multispecies family. With these transformations, pet owners strive to provide a better quality of life for their companion animals, whether they are conventional pets, such as dogs and cats, or unconventional pets, represented by birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and even invertebrates, seeking to provide quality food, leisure, and specialized and qualified care for their animals. This study aims to understand society's perception of companion animals as family members, as reflected by the students of UniGoyazes. To assess the perception of undergraduates, a questionnaire was administered to evaluate the profile of the respondents, whether they owned companion animals or not, whether the pets were conventional or unconventional, and statements to assess the degree of affection towards the animals. The results showed that the majority of respondents consider their animals, whether conventional or unconventional pets, as family members, giving them the same rights and priorities regarding health as friends and family.