Elevating the Role of the Human-Animal Bond in Mental Wellbeing

We live in a time when mental wellbeing has never felt more important or more fragile. 45% of people rate their mental health as their top health concern, while stress and anxiety disorders affect 359 million people worldwide. In 2025, Mars set out to prove that one answer to this challenge could lie in the pets that growing numbers of people have welcomed into their homes. The first-of-its-kind global campaign was rooted in the Pets and Wellbeing Study (PAWS) program, the largest research into Human–Animal Interaction, with 35,000 participants across 20 markets. The campaign focused on getting pets the credit they deserve for being unrecognised wellbeing superheroes and putting them at the heart of the conversation during mental health awareness month and world mental health day. It aimed to grow the understanding of the scientific evidence behind pets’ positive impact on mental health and the global public recognition of it; equip policymakers with evidence-based advocacy on the role of pets in society; and help more people responsibly access pet ownership by encouraging adoption. “Pets over partners” became a headline across the world, delivering 5.6B earned media impressions across 44 markets; 70% of audiences said the content changed how they think about pets' role in mental health, 64% said it made them more likely to get a pet, and Mars saw a +28% uplift in credibility and association with expertise in pets and wellbeing.