"Those who are hardest to love are usually the ones who need it most." Thich Nhat Hanh

We often hear the phrase “human-animal bond.” “Bond” seems to imply that all is warm and fuzzy and positive. But not all human-companion animal relationships are successful. There are complications and, at times, relationships that are downright unsuccessful. Some people who acquire a pet for themselves or for a child have no real capacity to bond with an animal—there simply is no fellow-feeling. Sometimes a particular human will fail to bond with a particular animal, perhaps because conflicting personality traits or unmatched needs create too much tension and not enough mutual love. And, of course, sometimes there is a strong bond between a person and an animal, but the relationship nonetheless fails to work because the animal has behavioral issues or emotional needs that the human is not equipped to handle. Veterinarian Mary Stewart in her book Companion Animal Death outlines some of the primary reasons for unsuccessful human-animal relationships.