Many of us are familiar with small animals as household pets and companions. However, the role of small animals extends far beyond the home environment. These animals contribute significantly to human society through their influence on health, education, scientific research, agriculture, and the economy.
Despite their relatively small size, small animals have a substantial impact on daily life and the functioning of communities around the world. From supporting human physical and emotional well-being to advancing medical discoveries and driving economic activity, their contributions are both diverse and far-reaching. Understanding these connections helps us recognize the important role small animals play in society and highlights the value of studying animal science. In this article, we will explore five key ways small animals influence our lives and why their impact matters.
1. Physical and Mental Health Benefits: The presence of small animals can improve our health in significant ways. Interacting with pets has been linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate, and many owners report feeling calmer and less stressed. For children, caring for a small animal can build empathy, self-esteem, and social skills. For older adults or people living alone, the responsibility of feeding, grooming, and playing with a pet can restore a sense of purpose and even keep them active.
2. Scientific and Medical Progress: Small animals are essential partners in biomedical research, impacting the future health of our nation! Species such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, zebra fish, and amphibians help scientists understand how bodies function and how diseases develop. Their use has contributed to vaccines, treatments for illnesses like diabetes and leukemia, and tests for heart disease and cancer. Strict regulations and the “three Rs”—reduce, replace, and refine—aim to ensure their humane care and limit the number of animals used.
3. Assistance and Accessibility: Service and support animals help many people participate more fully in our everyday life. Specially trained service dogs assist individuals with physical, sensory, psychiatric, or intellectual disabilities. Some examples include:
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Guide dogs/Seeing Eye dogs for those with visual impairments
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Hearing/signal animals to help with hearing disabilities
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Psychiatric service animals for improving mental health issues
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Sensory signal dogs (SSigDOGs) that assist individuals with autism
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Seizure response animals aid various seizure disorders
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) animals to calm those with the disorder
Emotional support and therapy animals—often dogs, cats, and rabbits—work in homes, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, reducing anxiety and encouraging social interaction!
4. Culture, Economy, and Ethics: Small animals also influence what we wear, watch, and consume, without us even knowing it. They appear in stories, movies, advertising, and even as mascots. Some animals are even closer to us than we realize through food, wool, leather, or fur products. At the same time, society wrestles with ethical questions about using animals for food, fashion, and research and works to protect endangered species through laws and international agreements.
5. Companionship and Emotional Support: For many people, small animals are more than pets; they are family members. Some of us owners often buy them special food, toys, clothing, and even pet insurance, and sometimes include them in wills and trusts. This deep human–animal bond benefits both sides! Pets can support emotional and psychological health, offering comfort, reducing loneliness, and giving people a reason to get up and engage with the world each day.
Whether in veterinary medicine, animal science, research, agriculture, conservation, education, or public health, these animals play a meaningful role in shaping professional opportunities and industries around the world. As you learn more about the five factors that make small animals so valuable, consider how their impact extends beyond everyday life and into the workplace. Understanding and caring for small animals not only supports their well-being but also helps develop skills, knowledge, and responsibilities that can lead to rewarding careers dedicated to improving the lives of animals and people alike.
Interested in learning more about small animals? Check out our NEW edition of Small Animal Science and Care.
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Small Animal Science and Care 2nd edition
