When Doctors Ask About Pets, Good Things Happen

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today that The Pet Giving Network, launched in collaboration with the Greater Good Charities, is open and ready to serve as a vital resource to connect the pet care community with frontline rescuers helping pets in need. Those interested in becoming Pet Giving Network Partners can sign-up today at www.habri.org/giving-network. “With wildfires raging and hurricane season upon us, it is important to recognize that pets are vulnerable, and resources allocated to helping pets threatened by disasters are often scarce. When pets are in danger so are their owners, which is why it is so important for the pet care community to be organized and ready to provide help,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. The Pet Giving Network allows interested companies and organizations to register as Pet Giving Network Partners, which connects them to a system of action alerts about specific pet needs. Partners can offer to donate supplies and resources, which are then reviewed by a member of the Pet Giving Network team so the donation can be connected to rescuers on the ground. After matching these donated supplies to a recipient, Greater Good Charities coordinates with entities in regions affected by natural disaster ensure that supplies are delivered where and when they are needed, avoiding unnecessary waste and allowing organizations around the country to act as a united pet care community when disaster strikes. “The World Pet Association couldn’t think of a better time than during SuperZoo 2021 to spotlight the Pet Giving Network,” said Vic Mason, President of the World Pet Association. “We look forward to working with our members and HABRI to support this important initiative, which will save the lives of many pets in need.” “The Pet Giving Network is a wonderful example of the good that the pet care community can do when we work together,” said Steve King, President and CEO of the American Pet Products Association...

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) lauded the passage of H.R. 1448, the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act, which was signed into law by President Biden yesterday. The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program and authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses. “HABRI is proud to have funded key scientific research demonstrating the efficacy of service dogs as a complimentary therapy for veterans with PTSD,” said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has documented that PTSD affects more than 15 percent of post 9-11 war veteransi. With an alarming 17 suicides per dayii, addressing the mental health of veterans is an urgent crisis. With the support of the pet care community, HABRI funded the first pilot study investigating the efficacy of service dogs as a complementary, therapeutic intervention for veterans with PTSD. Results of this study, conducted by Dr. Maggie O’Haire and team at Purdue University, indicate that veterans with a service dog exhibited significantly lower overall PTSD symptom severity, including increased overall psychological well-being; a better ability to cope with flashbacks and anxiety attacks; a lower frequency of nightmares and less overall sleep disturbance; lower overall anxiety, depression, and anger; higher levels of companionship and social reintegration; and lower levels of social isolationiii. Participants of this first-of-its-kind study were recruited from a database of individuals provided by K9s for Warriors. “The results of our research consistently showed that on average, veterans with service dogs had lower PTSD symptom severity,” said Maggie O’Haire, PhD, Associate Professor...