From Companionship to Conservation: The Roles of Attachment and Responsibility in Nonhuman Animal-Accompanied Tourism

Abstract As nonhuman animal-accompanied tourism expands, promoting guardians’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions ( PEBI ) is critical for sustainable tourism. Drawing on Attachment Theory and the Norm Activation Model ( NAM ), this study develops a framework linking human-companion animal interaction ( HCAI ), companion animal attachment ( CAA ), responsibility attribution ( RA ), and PEBI . A mixed-method approach combining fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and partial least squares structural equation modeling ( PLS-SEM ) is employed. fsQCA identifies multiple configurations leading to high PEBI , with HCAI, CAA , and RA as core conditions, while PLS-SEM confirms their sequential mediating roles. The findings extend research on human-companion animal relationships by demonstrating that emotional bonds and responsibility jointly drive pro-environmental intentions in tourism contexts, offering implications for companion animal-friendly destination management.