Fairweather friends? Rethinking multispecies companionship in the new normal

In the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns became an all-too-familiar occurrence. As humans found themselves increasingly restricted to their homes experiencing limited contact with their own species, many relied on the companionship of nonhuman animals to fulfil their social and tactile needs for contact. Acquisition of pet-commodities skyrocketed, with shelters and for-profit breeders alike reporting that they had run out of animals to meet public demand. These patterns speak to the increasing valuation of the companionship commodified ‘pets’ can provide to their human owners. However, there has been little critical discussion on whether humans are good multispecies companions to anyone else. This chapter will explore this pertinent question by focussing on multispecies relations in the site many of us spent much of our time dwelling on (and in) during the pandemic: the home. I begin by exploring how the home is socially and physically constructed as a human-centric place, setting up the asymmetrical power dynamic that underpins multispecies relations occurring within it. I consider the multispecies companionships that can take place in the home, extending the boundaries of who is a potential companion beyond purchased ‘pets’ to include the many other creatures sharing home-spaces. In doing so, I highlight how human-centrism is currently curtailing the development of rich, multispecies companionship that might be enabled by more inclusive socio-spatial practices. I conclude with a call to re-think human-centric constructions of home-spaces, arguing that the pursuit of multispecies companionship is a fruitful avenue through which we might learn to live less badly with others in the now normal, to the benefit of all.