Analysis of Anthropogenization and Transformation of the Human-Animal Bond in Ecuador

Meneses.Quelal, Orlando (2026) Analysis of Anthropogenization and Transformation of the Human-Animal Bond in Ecuador. World's Veterinary Journal. 693 - 709. ISSN 23224568

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Abstract

The human-animal bond is currently experiencing a profound paradigm shift globally. The present study addresses the growing transformation of human-animal relationships in contemporary societies. The current study aimed to offer a critical narrative review of the anthropogenization of companion animals in Ecuador, understood as the process through which dogs, cats, and other domestic species acquire social, normative, and moral meanings that transform interspecies coexistence. Based on an interdisciplinary review of academic databases, regulatory documents, and institutional reports, the study integrates evidence from cognitive ethology, human-animal psychology, law, and urban sociology. Three central axes are analyzed. The first axis examined the impact of language, particularly ownership versus guardianship, on care practices. The second axis explores the tension between scientific evidence on animal agency and current regulations. The third axis evaluates the implications of anthropogenization for animal-welfare governance in diverse territorial contexts. The analysis identified contradictions between the biocentric constitutional framework and secondary legislation that retains possessive registers. The findings also revealed the simultaneous emergence of pathological anthropomorphization and positive anthropogenization processes. In addition, significant empirical gaps were identified for the design of coherent public policies. The study proposes an interdisciplinary research agenda and presents recommendations aimed at aligning terminology, education, and governance, with emphasis on territorial strategies and participatory approaches. Overall, the manuscript provides a conceptual framework to guide applied studies and regulatory reforms in countries characterized by sociocultural heterogeneity, such as Ecuador. © The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Animal abuse; Animal ethic; Animal right; Anthropogenization; Education; Guardianship
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	World's Veterinary Journal (WVJ)
Page Range:	693 - 709
Journal or Publication Title:	World's Veterinary Journal
Journal Index:	Scopus
Volume:	16
Number:	2
Publisher:	Scienceline Publication
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.54203/scil.2026.wvj66
ISSN:	23224568
Depositing User:	Dr. Alireza Sadeghi
URI:	https://eprints.science-line.com/id/eprint/1705

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