This elective will explore the ways in which the health of humans and animals is inextricably linked through published literature, patient and client narratives, personal experience, and reflection. The types of topics to be covered will include defining the human-animal bond, the roles that an animal can play in the life of an individual or family, the effect an animal’s illness can have on a person’s psychosocial wellbeing, the effect that a person’s illness can have on their ability to care for their animal, caregiver burden, social determinants of human and animal health, the relationship between domestic violence and animal abuse, normalizing the grief associated with pet loss, the role of service and therapy animals in health maintenance, pets and people experiencing homelessness, and the ability of animals to facilitate a sense of community among humans. An introduction will be provided to the emerging field of veterinary social work and the ways in which veterinarians can access these services for their clients. The goal of this elective is to encourage future veterinarians to ask the meaningful questions needed to ensure that illness in either humans or animals does not result in a deterioration of the human animal bond, or detrimental effects on the other party.