With the help of our supporters and partners, HABRI was able to continue to advance scientific research and share the message of the importance of the human-animal bond throughout this tumultuous year. We felt like it was important to compile our ‘year in review’ and reflect on all that we were able to accomplish together in 2020, and to express our gratitude to the leading companies and organizations that make HABRI’s efforts possible.   The following is a brief overview of HABRI’s programs, initiatives and important milestones reached in the past year:   Supporting Scientific Research on the Human-Animal Bond  5 New Research Projects Funded in 2020  In 2020, HABRI funded five innovative research projects exploring the benefits of the human-animal bond for child health and development, healthy aging, mental health and wellness and chronic health conditions.  Canine-assisted anxiety reduction in pediatric emergency care (CANINE III) (Indiana University)   Can interaction with a therapy dog as an adjunct to a child life specialist reduce anxiety in children in the emergency room (ED)?  Anxiety, stress and “threat perceptions” are major negative...

Scene from The Woofice June 19-23 is National Take Your Pet to Work Week! An increasing number of people want to work in a pet-friendly environment, and employers are recognizing the importance of offering pet-oriented benefits to their employees. The presence of pets in the office has been shown to improve psychological well-being and life satisfaction among working adults[1], in addition to improving productivity[2] and cooperation[3] between employees. A study conducted by Nationwide in partnership with HABRI further reveals that pet-inclusive workplaces boost recruitment, increase engagement, improve presenteeism, and raise retention rates for employees. While there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to welcoming pets in the workplace, introducing pets at work should involve thoughtful planning and a comprehensive framework. The pet care community is leading the way in implementing pet-friendly workplaces and offering guidelines and best practices to ensure pet-friendly policies work for everyone while protecting the health and well-being of all. While we love to celebrate Take Your Pet to Work Week, there are many ways employers can demonstrate that they care about pets, even...

April is Autism Awareness Month. Research demonstrates that the human-animal bond can confer many health benefits for children on the autism spectrum, and for their families too! Whether it is a trained service dog or a guinea pig, there is scientific evidence supporting the positive influence of human-animal interaction (HAI) on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More HABRI-funded research is underway, but here is a rundown of some of the things we know so far: Addressing Loneliness One of the most common characteristics of children on the autism spectrum is difficulty socializing with others and forming connections, and as a result, many children with ASD face social isolation and loneliness. Research suggests that a connection with a companion animal can both reduce loneliness and provide needed companionship in children with autism.[1] When researchers survey children who have strong human-animal bonds, the fundamentally nonjudgmental nature of pets and their unconditional love are often cited reasons for this meaningful companionship. Improving Social Behavior Pets can facilitate new social connections in children with ASD, as pets can often reduce barriers to initiating...

  Are you a veterinary professional in need of CE hours to close out the year? Do you want to find a way to connect with your clients and your purpose? There’s a way to do both, and it’s getting Human-Animal Bond Certified. For International Human-Animal Bond Day this November 8th, sign up and receive a discounted price of $129.00. Why get Human-Animal Bond Certified? Human-Animal Bond Certified is the only continuing education course solely dedicated to helping veterinary professionals learn and communicate the science of the human-animal bond. As keepers of the human-animal bond, there is no better authority to communicate the science supporting health benefits of the bond than veterinarians and their dedicated teams. The veterinary clinic is already the most important source of information on pet health, and it only takes a short conversation to also make them the key source of information on the human-animal bond. Why is this important? Research from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) demonstrates that with increased knowledge of the science behind the human-animal bond, pet owners are more likely to invest time and resources in the health and wellness of...

April is Autism Awareness Month, and HABRI is taking this opportunity to raise awareness of the many scientifically-documented ways the human-animal bond can benefit individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  Research shows that pets in the home can improve prosocial behaviors in children with ASD by providing companionship, unconditional love, and improved mental health[1]. Evidence also supports the incorporation of animals into educational and classroom settings as beneficial for improving social skills and behavior in children with ASD[2].   While research predominantly focuses on the impact of dog ownership and interaction for this population, scientific evidence, including recently published results from HABRI-funded research, shows that individuals with ASD can benefit from owning and interacting with other types of animals as well.   Cats  The calmer, quieter temperament of a pet cat may be beneficial for a child with Autism. The Feline Friends Study, placed temperament-screened shelter cats with families of children with ASD to study children’s social behavior and attachment to the cat. Findings demonstrate that children with an...

As part of a campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of the human-animal bond with pet owners from across the world, we’ve translated the ‘Top 5 Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond’ infographic into French and German!   Download the French language infographic here. Download the German 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: 50%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Français – 5 PRINCIPAUX BÉNÉFICES associés à la compagnie d’un animal Deutsch...