Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Announces 2015 Research Grants

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 Initiative (HABRI) announced today it has awarded a $27,000 grant to Lincoln Memorial University, for a study titled, Measuring the Impact of a Mutually Reinforcing Relationship Between Pet Owners and Their Pets. This research project will analyze data collected via a series of public health fairs and develop a general model of health and wellness behavior to examine the relationship between the health of humans and their pets and whether patterns of health and health-associated behaviors are similar. It is anticipated that the model will help determine that pets share the same health benefits and risks as their owners. “Healthy pets make healthy people,” said HABRI Executive Director Steve Feldman. “Lincoln Memorial University can help us establish this important connection so that the human-animal bond is universally accepted as an essential element of human wellness.” The one-year pilot study will aim to obtain data sufficient to describe the current state of health and health associated behaviors in pet owner-pet pairs in the Cumberland Gap Region (CGR) of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Health metric data including body weight, heart rate, blood pressure and height will be collected for 300 human subjects and their pet dogs or cats through conducting a series of public health fairs. The investigators seek to use the data to formulate a general model of health and health associated behavior. “Few studies have simultaneously investigated the health and health promoting behaviors of owners and pets,” said principal investigator Dr. Charles Faulkner, Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University. “We believe the model developed in this study will help provide evidence that the relationship between humans and companion animals mutually reinforces their health and quality of life. This is especially important in a geographic region where residents rank at the bottom in health outcomes for heart...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) is proud to announce an insightful panel discussion, “The Last Goodbye: The Impact of the Human-Animal Bond on End-of-Life Care Experiences and Outcomes” happening at VMX this Tuesday, January 28th, made possible through its educational partnership with IDEXX. Featuring leading experts in euthanasia, end-of-life care and veterinary oncology, the session will focus on the importance of protecting and preserving the human-animal bond during the end of a pet’s life, and ways veterinary teams can support better outcomes related to end-of-life decision-making. The panel, comprising Dr. Kathleen Cooney, Senior Director of Medical Education of the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA); Dr. Dani McVety-Leinen, Founder & former CEO of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice; and Dr. Dana Connell, veterinary oncologist and Global Medical Affairs Specialist at IDEXX, will highlight how the human-animal bond can significantly influence the emotional and psychological aspects of euthanasia. These distinguished panelists bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the discussion and will offer practical advice for veterinary professionals on how best to approach the subject of end-of-life in a way that is proactive and respectful of the human-animal bond. “HABRI is proud to advance understanding and awareness of the role of the human-animal bond in veterinary medicine, including for end-of-life care,” said Steve Feldman, president of HABRI. “By bringing together experts in the field, we aim to equip veterinary professionals with the tools and knowledge they need to better serve pet owners and their beloved companions.” The panel will be held on Tuesday, January 28th from 10:50am – 11:40am in the Orange County Convention Center South, Room S210B. Those in attendance will be eligible for one hour of CE credit. For more information and to add this panel to your schedule, please visit https://connect.navc.com/event/vmx-2025-2/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ3MTgyMA==