Fetching New Friends: Dogs as Social Network Brokers

• In Event: Entangled Species: Animals in Society Section Open Call Paper Session

Abstract

A central motivation for the creation of mixed-income communities and mobility to low-poverty neighborhoods is the potential for low-income households to accumulate social capital through residential location. Affordable housing represents one strategy, but it relies on the ability of lower income residents to form meaningful relationships with better-off neighbors. Yet little is known about the social life of the population served. The presence of dogs may encourage the formation of social ties with neighbors or frequent neighborhood visitors by encouraging habitual low stakes contact and conversation. We use cross-sectional survey data from recent movers to 13 new-build affordable housing developments in New York City (n=597). The data analyzed here primarily describe the “local” network comprising ties to those that live in the same neighborhood. Network-level characteristics of the respondent were derived by aggregating the information gathered on unique individual ties nominated by the respondent. OLS models were used to assess the association between presence of a dog and characteristics of the respondent’s network. Dogs were associated with an increased number of local ties. Network composition by gender and race/ethnicity was not different for respondents with and without dogs; however, respondents with dogs reported more frequent interaction and a significantly larger share of local ties were better off than the respondent. Additionally, a higher share of local ties exchanged information with respondents with dogs, with no significant differences in activation of ties for expressive or instrumental purposes. Although this analysis only represents a small number of affordable housing buildings and residents, the findings are suggestive for the potential of pet friendly policies to help foster greater social integration, particularly through the formation of weak (bridging) ties with neighbors that may be poised to help low-income residents get ahead, rather than just get by.

Authors

• Daniel Goldstein, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

• Elyzabeth Gaumer, Department of Housing Preservation and Development

• Caitlin Waickman, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development