The Section on Human Animal Interaction: Research & Practice, of Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology) of the American Psychological Association is dedicated to professional and scholarly activities that advance the understanding of human-animal interactions as they relate to psychology.

The role of the human-animal bond in empathy development, the ability to form and express attachments, reaction to grief and loss, the challenges of aging, and other developmental passages throughout the lifespan.

The ways in which human interaction with animals promotes health
The role of animal-assisted therapies in prevention and intervention programs in a variety of settings
Violence prevention as it relates to the link between animal abuse and family, juvenile, and community violence
Training programs on topics such as pet grief counseling, assessment and treatment of animal abuse, as well as counseling programs to address the needs of veterinary students, animal shelter volunteers, and animal rescue workers.