May 13, 2025 — Global pet care company Mars is teaming up with the mental wellness platform Calm to release a new collection of content aimed at strengthening the human-animal bond and supporting mental health through pet-inspired tools.
The collaboration follows a landmark study conducted by YouGov on behalf of Mars, which surveyed more than 30,000 pet owners across 20 countries—the largest international study of its kind. The findings revealed that 78% of dog and cat owners feel their pets remind them to take breaks during work or daily tasks, with 50% reporting this happens on a daily basis.
Launching the First Pet-Inspired Collection on Calm
Recognizing the powerful role pets play in emotional well-being, Mars and Calm have introduced the first-ever pet-inspired content collection on the Calm app. The series includes:
Sleep Stories inspired by the emotional bond between pets and their owners
Guided Meditations designed to help users reflect on how pets support mental wellness
Breathing Exercises that foster calm through mindful pet-inspired practices
“We’re helping more people—and their pets—experience the proven benefits of the human-animal bond through real stories, science-backed tools, and supportive content,” said Greg Justice, Chief Content Officer at Calm.
Interactive Well-Being Insights Through Kinship
As part of the initiative, Mars is also integrating mental wellness with its pet advice platform Kinship by launching an interactive feature called My Pet Guru. This digital quiz helps pet owners discover which of six “well-being superpowers” their pets embody, based on personality traits and behavioral cues.
Crowdsourcing Pet Stories
In addition to releasing content, Mars and Calm are inviting pet owners to share personal stories that highlight the emotional impact of their pets. These submissions may help shape future Calm stories, reinforcing the positive role animals play in human mental health.
This collaboration underscores a growing recognition of how deeply pets influence their owners’ emotional well-being—and how technology can help amplify those benefits in daily life.
