BETWEEN HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT: AN EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY AND ONE HEALTH

Abstract

This article describes and critically analyzes a supervised internship experience in Community Psychology carried out at a recycling cooperative in São Paulo, anchored in the frameworks of Community Psychology and One Health. The objective was to analyze the care of cats that circulated in the cooperative as a device for building bonds with a cooperative member who was resistant to group interventions, as an expression of expanded care, and as an analyzer of the weaknesses of the health system. This is an experience report, of a qualitative and descriptive-reflective nature, based on participant observation, field notes, and supervision. The results showed that animal care, involving neutering and veterinary attention coordinated with institutional networks, favored closeness and reduced the cooperative member's resistance, while also exposing barriers to accessing public services, such as proof-of-residence requirements and limitations in digital scheduling. It is concluded that animal care can operate as a powerful clinical-community tool in contexts of vulnerability, broadening the understanding of care and reinforcing the need for more integrated public policies that are sensitive to the concrete living conditions of populations.