The Miller-Rada Commitment to Pets Scale

Abstract

Commitment to pets is introduced and defined. Commitment to pets overlaps the construct of attachment to pets but adds to our developing understanding of the human-animal bond. Commitment is operationalized as a resolve to keep a pet in spite of challenges that require expenditures of personal resources. The Miller-Rada Commitment to Pets Scale measures commitment, has high internal consistency, demonstrates construct validity, and correlates with attachment (r=.44). The Miller-Rada Commitment to Pets Scale requires further research and may have potential for educating prospective pet owners as well as further elucidating the pet/human relationship.