Since forty years, place of the animals become problematic in the contemporary western societies. The ascent of the social consideration of the interests of animals, benevolence towards them, recomposes the "traditional " and "modem" representations of the animal kingdom. Through the exemple of the development of the practices of care using animal contact (Zootherapy, Animal-Assisted Therapy) I analyze the mechanisms of revalorization of the animal presence with the buman beings. These practices contribute to the advent of a new regime of anthrozoological companionship, in which the benevolence towards the animal plays a big role. The hypothesis of this work is that the recognition of a therapeutic value in the contact with animais allows to return thisjustifiable benevolence and to enlist a whole actors' network authorizing the large-scale development of this new "relational regime." I followed how the conviction tbat interaction with the animal improves a "classic" relation of care, was born, spread, put to the test of the scientific work, and became accomplished in concrete practices. The first part approaches the constitution of a field of autonomous knowledge about interactions with animals with therapeutic purpose, through a bibliographical analysis. The second part deals with actors' networks whichh promoted the care by the animal contact, its development, its professionalization and its standardization. Finally, the third part describes more particularly the situated practices, through the analysis of ethnographicalobservations and interviews.
« Animals as Therapists. » : Socio-anthropological approach of ·the Emergence of Animals in Care Practices.