Embrace Pet Insurance Supports Human-Animal Bond Research

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today a new research grant to The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) School of Public Health to investigate how pet ownership and cruelty to animals impacts the decisions and mental health outcomes of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). “Pet abuse has been identified as a predictor of IPV, but there is a lack of data to fully understand the role of pet ownership in relationships where IPV is occurring,” said Alaina Beauchamp, MPH, Principal Investigator. “Quantifying the link between intimate partner violence and animal cruelty will help identify ways to protect people and pets and lower the barriers to seeking help.” One in 4 women and 1 in 9 men reported IPV in 2019 alone. 41 percent of men arrested for IPV reported committing acts of animal cruelty, compared to a nationally representative sample of adult men who reported a 2 percent incidence of animal cruelty. Up to 48 percent of domestic violence victims remain in abusive situations out of fear for their pet’s safety, and only 15 percent of U.S. domestic violence shelters are pet friendly. This new research study led by Alaina Beauchamp, a doctoral student, and Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, assistant professor at UTHealth School of Public Health, will collect data from women residing in emergency and transitional housing at a domestic violence shelter in the southern United States to examine their experiences of animal cruelty and the barriers it created when seeking help. Data will be used to capture the burden of animal cruelty in this population, assess the role emotional manipulation by an abuser plays in choices made for an IPV survivor and their pet, and evaluate the impact of the human-animal bond on the resiliency and mental health of these IPV survivors. “HABRI is proud to be funding this important research, which will bring data to a critical issue facing survivors of IPV and their pets,” said...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today a new research project to determine the role of pet ownership in predicting trajectories of youth development. Funded by a grant from HABRI, researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University aim to determine whether there are systematic differences between families who own pets and those without pets with regard to demographics, social environment, and health status, and if these factors predict patterns of pet ownership over time. “Existing human-animal interaction research is limited in exploring how race, ethnicity, and culture are related to pet ownership, and because the sample analyzed in this study will be nationally representative, we hope to have data on a very diverse group of youth,” said the study’s Principal Investigator, Megan Kiely Mueller, PhD, the Elizabeth Arnold Stevens Junior Professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “This research project will capitalize on a rigorous study design, and a measurement model specifically designed for understanding how environmental experiences influence cognitive and social development and health outcomes.” The goal of the study is to leverage available data from a unique population-based longitudinal study of adolescent development, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), by analyzing pet ownership information to answer key questions about the relationship between human-animal interaction and trajectories of youth development, including social interaction and support, academic performance, mental health and physical activity. The study includes a baseline cohort of over 11,800 youth enrolled in the ABCD study at 9-10 years of age and their parents/guardians, who will be followed for ten years. In addition to assessing youth development, the study will use the ABCD data to assess if there are systematic differences between families who own...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) have partnered to highlight the importance of veterinary medicine to support strong, long-lasting human-companion animal bonds and to promote the health benefits of interacting with pets. Activities agreed under the partnership will focus on promoting the science of the human-animal bond and the veterinary profession’s positive role in animal welfare and human wellness. The WSAVA is also represented on the Advisory Committee which participates in the development of the online Human Animal Bond Certification course, created by HABRI and the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC). “Veterinarians are uniquely positioned as trusted resources for pet owners who are more attuned to their pets’ health needs than ever before,” said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. “HABRI is proud to join with WSAVA to help veterinarians connect with their clients and share scientific information about the human-animal bond.” Findings from a HABRI survey of US pet owners demonstrate that veterinarians are seen as trusted resources on scientific information focused on the benefits of pet ownership. Research also shows that knowledge of the science behind the human-animal bond can motivate pet owners to take better care of their pets. Specifically, the survey found that when pet owners knew more about the human health benefits of pet ownership: 92 percent said they were more likely to maintain a pet’s health, including keeping up with vaccines and preventive medicine; 89 percent said they were more likely to maintain a pet’s health, including regular check-ups with a veterinarian; and 89 percent said they were more likely to take better care of a pet overall. Dr. Shane Ryan, Past President of the WSAVA, said: “Caring for an animal companion provides benefit not only for the animal itself in terms of its health and welfare needs, but can have many positive benefits for the...