It’s Take Your Pet to Work Week! Research shows that pet-friendly workplaces boost employee satisfaction, productivity and collaboration. Pet-friendly companies are also better able to attract, engage and retain employees. This is true even if pets aren’t physically permitted in the office every day. HABRI has compiled the following ways employers can demonstrate they are pet-friendly that go beyond allowing pets at work. Take Your Pet to Work Week is the perfect opportunity to raise these conversations with your employees, co-workers, and supervisors. These policies and best practices can help provide inspiration and guidance for how organizations can become pet inclusive. 

Ask any pet owner and they’ll agree, pets enrich our lives. Did you know? There’s scientific research that supports the human-animal bond – or the mutually beneficial relationship between people and pets – for a happier, healthier life. HABRI has created this new infographic highlighting the benefits of a healthy relationship with a pet. HABRI hopes that in sharing this far and wide, we can encourage people to take care of their pets and remind them that in good times and in bad, our companion animals can be wonderful sources of comfort, joy and support. Please consider posting this infographic on your social media channels, websites and with your colleagues, friends and family to help us strengthen the human-animal bond for all! References Allen, K., Blascovich, J., & Mendes, W. B. (2002). Cardiovascular reactivity and the presence of pets, friends, and spouses: The truth about cats and dogs. Psychosomatic medicine, 64(5), 727-739. Janevic, M., Solway, E., Malani, P., Kirch, M., Kullgren, J., & Connell, C. (2019). National Poll on Healthy Aging: How pets contribute to healthy aging. Brooks, H., Rushton, K., Walker, S., Lovell, K., & Rogers, A. (2016). Ontological...

A healthy heart is essential for good health at any age. Research suggests that pet ownership and human-animal interaction (HAI) can lead to improved heart health through supporting a healthy lifestyle, preventing heart disease, and facilitating healing following a cardiovascular event. Since February is Heart Health Month, we’ve compiled the top scientific evidence on how the human-animal bond supports goo heart health.   Stress Reduction  High stress can contribute to many health issues associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Stress is also associated with behaviors that increase heart disease, such as physical inactivity and overeating. The CDC recognizes that especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress can run high, and stress management is essential to living a healthy life.  Scientific research has supported the concept that people experience less stress in the presence of pets. To measure the impact of companion animals on stress levels, many studies incorporate a transient stressor, such as having study participants perform a challenging arithmetic problem. A study of 120 married couples demonstrated that, in the presence of a...

To help us raise awareness of the health benefits of the human-animal bond with Spanish and Chinese speaking pet owners, we’ve translated the ‘Top 5 Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond’ infographic into Spanish and Mandarin! Download the English language infographic here. Download the Spanish language infographic here. Download the Mandarin Chinese language infographic here. HABRI hopes that in sharing this far and wide, we can encourage people to take care of their pets and remind them that in good times and in bad, our companion animals can be wonderful sources of comfort, joy and support. Please consider posting this infographic on your social media channels, websites and share with your colleagues, friends and family to help us strengthen the human-animal bond for all! #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ 中文 – 五大益处 人与动物关 English...

Autism is a complex neurological and developmental condition that begins early in life and affects how a person interacts, communicates and learns. Autism is highly-individualized and everyone with autism experiences it differently, which is why autism is often described as occurring on a spectrum. A growing body of research demonstrates that interaction with dogs can positively impact children with autism, particularly for improved communication, mental health, and classroom learning. Please consider sharing this infographic on your social media channels, websites and with your colleagues, friends and families to raise awareness of how dogs can help children with autism.   More on the Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond for People with Autism Blog: How Dogs Help People with Autism Blog: How Different Types of Companion Animals Can Improve Outcomes for Children and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Shareable Infographic: Benefits of Pet Cats for Children with Autism Blog: The Human-Animal Bond for Autism Spectrum Disorder

National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day is an opportunity is raise awareness for the importance of making sure pet cats receive proper veterinary care. Cats make wonderful companions, and science shows that cat ownership can provide comfort and social support, improve heart health and resiliency and even help children with Autism. Cats may be more independent compared to some of their canine counterparts, but they need regular veterinary care all the same.   According to a report from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), while about 79 percent of dog owners scheduled annual preventative care in 2016, only about 47 percent of cat owners did the same. Additional research shows that 21 percent of cat owners said they take their cat to the vet only after it already showing signs of illness, and as many as half of all cat owners said taking their cat to the vet is not important, contrary to the advice of veterinarians.   Booking a trip to the veterinarian – especially if you have questions about the process – can be stressful, for both you and your cat. The good news is that there are many resources from the pet care community on how to help...