Pet Food Institute Supports Human-Animal Bond Research

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and IDEXX, a global leader in pet healthcare innovation, today hosted a lecture with Dr. Jason Johnson, Vice President and Global Chief Medical Officer at IDEXX, and Steven Feldman, HABRI President, discussing compelling data on the importance of veterinarians as trusted resources for pet owners on the science of the human-animal bond. “IDEXX is incredibly proud of our support for HABRI, its scientific research exploring the health benefits of the human-animal bond, and our partnership on this lecture series,” said Dr. Jason Johnson, VP and Global Chief Medical Officer at IDEXX. “By sharing how the human-animal bond is strengthening and how important it is to the health and well-being of people and their pets, we believe we can make a meaningful difference for the veterinary profession.” The Human-Animal Bond Lecture Series was created to connect animal health professionals and pet owners with the science of the human-animal bond in a free and easy-to-use virtual format. Upcoming lectures in 2022 will feature academic researchers introducing new scientific studies investigating the health benefits of human-animal interaction (HAI), from child health to healthy aging. Lectures will also focus on providing veterinary teams with the tools they need to engage with their clients on these topics, which has been shown to improve compliance and care. “With awareness of human-animal bond science higher than ever before, we want to equip veterinarians to be at the center of these conversations,” said HABRI President Steven Feldman. “HABRI is grateful for the continued support and leadership of IDEXX. Together, we are looking forward to bringing the science of the human-animal bond to a wider audience of animal health professionals and pet owners.” Animal health professionals who view these sessions live will be eligible to receive RACE-approved Continuing Education (CE) credit through the American Association of...

The PAWS Act Coalition, a group of nonprofit and for-profit organizations, is working to raise awareness among the domestic violence shelter community of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program. This program will support shelter and transitional housing services for survivors of domestic violence and their companion animals, which was made possible by the passage of the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act by Congress in 2018. “The PAWS Act funding and new grants mark an important milestone in keeping more pets and their families together,” said Nina Leigh Krueger, president of Nestlé Purina PetCare. “Purina is committed to continuing to work alongside our partners to increase the number of pet-friendly domestic violence shelters so families and their pets can safely leave an abusive situation and heal together.” “With incidents of domestic violence increasing as a result of coronavirus stay-at-home orders, the need for pet-friendly sheltering will also grow, and this funding could not have come at a better time,” said Steven Feldman, Executive Director of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI). “HABRI is proud to have participated in this two-plus year effort to support the successful implementation of the lifesaving PAWS Act. The PAWS Act Coalition and many in the greater pet care community have worked hard to make this grant program a reality.” The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will provide up to five grants of $400,000 each, to begin on October 1, 2020. The primary goal of this funding is to support shelter and transitional housing services for survivors of domestic violence and their companion animals. With these grants, the DOJ seeks to increase the number of shelter beds and transitional housing options to meet the needs of domestic violence survivors who need shelter or housing for them and their companion animals. Funding provided by this grant will also provide...

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) today announced the findings of a new survey on how knowledge of the scientific benefits of the human-animal bond impacts the way pet owners care for their companion animals. The survey asked pet owners about their awareness of research that shows pets improve human health and found that this knowledge motivated them to take better care of their pets, including a significant, positive impact on veterinary care. “When educated about the scientific research on the human-animal bond, pet owners are more likely to take important measures to improve pet health and augment their relationship with their veterinarians,” said AAHA Chief Executive Officer, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP (C/F). “AAHA-accredited animal hospitals continue to raise the standard for veterinary care across the country, and HABRI gives us another way to connect with pet owners to enhance that care.” When 2,000 pet owners were educated about the human health benefits of pet ownership: 92% said they were more likely to maintain a pet’s health, including keeping up with vaccines and preventive medicine 89% said they were more likely to maintain a pet’s health, including regular check-ups with a veterinarian 88% said they were more likely to provide a pet with higher quality nutrition 51% said they were more likely to purchase pet health insurance 62% said they were less likely to skip visits to the veterinarian 89% said they were more likely to take better care of a pet “When people find out that pets improve heart health, decrease stress, help alleviate depression and address specific conditions that include autism, PTSD and Alzheimer’s, they become more focused on caring for their pet’s health,” said HABRI Executive Director, Steven Feldman. “More awareness of human-animal bond science improves veterinary care and leads to a healthier pet population.” Veterinarians,...