THE MILLER-RADA COMMITMENT TO PETS SCALE

Commitment to pets is introduced and defined. Commitment to pets overl aps the construct of attachment to pets but adds to our developing und erstanding of the human-animal bond. Commitment is operationalized as a resolve to keep a pet in spite of challenges that require expenditur es of personal resources. The Miller-Rada Commitment to Pets Scale mea sures commitment, has high internal consistency, demonstrates construc t validity, and correlates with attachment (r=.44). The Miller-Rada Co mmitment to Pets Scale requires further research and may have potentia l for educating prospective pet owners as well as further elucidating the pet/human relationship.