Do persons who suffer from borderline personality disorder have greater affection to pets?
Executive summary
Available research and reporting show recurrent observations that people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often form strong, therapeutic bonds with pets and can derive measurable benefits — but evidence about whether they have a greater innate “affection” for pets than the general population is limited and mixed (Curtin University qualitative study of 8 people; [1]; larger preprint finds no overall correlation between pet ownership and worse outcomes among students with BPD symptoms; p1_s9). Multiple clinical and advocacy pieces report therapeutic advantages (lower stress, purpose, attachment), while most sources call for more, larger studies to quantify prevalence and causation (Curtin University, PsyPost; [1]; p1_s5).
1. Pets as purposeful partners: qualitative studies that find meaning and attachment
Qualitative research led by Curtin University concluded pet ownership "can provide meaning and purpose" and supports "positive emotional attachments" and engagement for people diagnosed with BPD, based on interviews with eight participants who had dogs, cats, rats or birds; researchers recommended further study but flagged clear therapeutic value observed in these cases [1]. A 2018 journal article that examined lived experience likewise concluded pets may aid coping, social connection and development of secure attachments, inviting further confirmation [2].
2. Physiological and therapeutic signals: animal-assisted work shows promise
Experimental and therapeutic studies report animal-assisted interventions lower stress markers and improve mood or social bonding indicators relevant to BPD symptomatology. A study summarized in PsyPost assessed cortisol (stress) and oxytocin (bonding) in BPD patients during animal-assisted skills training and suggested potential physiological pathways for benefit; authors and press accounts say animal contact can strengthen therapeutic alliance and reduce anxiety [3].
3. Many clinical and popular sources report strong attachment — but often from anecdote or small samples
Multiple mental-health blogs and advocacy sites describe strong attachment patterns: people with BPD "become attached to their pets, especially dogs," find unconditional support in animals, and use caretaking as low-stakes social practice (Exploring Your Mind; My Borderline View; Psychology Today; [5]; [4]; p1_s8). These sources emphasize reduced loneliness, improved routine, and nonjudgmental affection, but they are not large-scale epidemiological evidence and often synthesize clinical experience or qualitative findings [4] [5] [6].
4. Contradictions and limits: ownership ≠ greater affection at population level
A 2025 preprint studying university students with BPD symptoms found that overall pet ownership did not significantly correlate with adverse mental-health outcomes and did not assert that this group owns pets at higher rates than peers; authors suggested caretaking may enhance self-esteem and purpose but stopped short of claiming greater baseline affection compared with others [7]. Several sources explicitly call for more robust, representative research rather than broad generalizations (Curtin University; p1_s3).
5. Practical implications: pets as adjunct, not a substitute for therapy
Across sources, pets and service/therapy animals are presented as complementary tools: they offer routine, grounding, and affection that can support DBT and other treatments and may reduce symptoms like emptiness or social withdrawal (Psychology Today; Pettable; [6]; [4]0). Curtin researchers and PsyPost emphasize clinicians could consider animal-based supports, but they caution against treating pets as a standalone treatment and call for more evidence [1] [3].
6. Conflicts, overstated claims, and marketplace incentives to watch for
Commercial sites marketing service/ESA certifications and “best breeds” for BPD often present unconditional benefits and legal protections prominently; these pieces sometimes blur therapeutic claims with product/service promotion and overstate legal protections for emotional-support animals (ESA Pet; Certapet; [8]; p1_s6). Readers should note potential financial or promotional agendas in such coverage and prefer peer-reviewed or university-led findings for clinical guidance [1] [2].
7. What the reporting doesn’t say (limitations you should note)
Available sources do not provide large, representative prevalence data showing that people with BPD are more likely than the general population to own pets or to be more affectionate toward them. Most positive findings come from small qualitative samples, pilot studies, or clinical reports; several authors explicitly call for larger, controlled studies to establish causation, prevalence, and long-term outcomes [1] [2] [3].
Bottom line: multiple qualitative and clinical reports document strong, often therapeutic bonds between people with BPD and animals and identify plausible benefits (meaning, decreased stress, practice with boundaries), but claims that people with BPD have inherently greater affection for pets than others are not established by large-scale, generalizable evidence in the available sources [1] [7].