Anyone who has ever loved a pet doesn’t need an improv comedy show to tell them that animals can make us better versions of ourselves. Yet a growing body of research is expanding our understanding of the science behind the human-animal connection. We spoke with three experts about how animals are used in therapy today and about the cutting edge of research in this field. Sarah Palm, Researcher, Nature Based Therapeutics at the University of Minnesota Colleen Crockford, Human-Animal Bond Social Worker with Crockford Consulting Dr. Tim Lewis, Professor at the University of St. Thomas