Healthy Paws Foundation Joins Forces with the Human Animal Bond Research Institute

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced the winners of the inaugural Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards, which recognize companies and organizations with innovative products and programs designed to advance the human-animal bond and create a more pet-friendly society. “As the Presenting Sponsor for the Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards, PetSmart Charities is proud to celebrate organizations that have gone above and beyond to strengthen the connection between people and pets,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President of PetSmart Charities. “This year’s honorees support the deep integration of pets into people’s lives, and their efforts will make a difference for many pets — and those who love and care for them.” Nominations were selected by an expert committee of pet care community leaders assembled by HABRI. Winners were honored at a special awards ceremony held in conjunction with the annual SuperZoo show in Las Vegas. The 2022 Human Animal Bond Innovation Award winners are: Product & Service Category: Health Alliance Medical Plans Health Alliance Medical Plans offers health insurance plans across multiple states in the Midwest region of the United States. As of January 2022, Health Alliance Medical Plans became the first human insurance company to provide fully-paid access to 24-hour veterinary telehealth for 30,000 Medicare Advantage plan members in three regional offerings. “It’s a fact that pets play a tremendous role in human well-being,” said Heidi Sirota, President and Chief Pet Officer of Nationwide’s pet insurance division. “As a proud sponsor of HABRI’s Innovation Awards, Nationwide applauds Health Alliance Medical Plans for advancing the human-animal bond by making critical health resources available to pet families.” Workplace Culture Category: American Heart Association The American Heart Association’s Best Friend Fridays campaign is part of the Association’s Healthy Bond for LifeTM initiative to raise...

The PAWS Act Coalition, a group of non–profit and for-profit organizations, lauded the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. For the second year in a row this Act provides funding for an important USDA grant program designed to enable more domestic violence shelters to become pet-friendly so that victims of domestic violence and their pets may seek safe shelter together. The $2.5 million appropriated for 2021 represents a $500,000 increase in funding, coming two years after bipartisan passage of the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act as part of the 2019 Farm Bill.   “This funding increase by Congress is a significant step forward in the public-private collaboration to keep domestic violence survivors and their pets together as they escape abuse and heal,” said Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO and President of Purina, and a champion for the company’s Purple Leash Project in partnership with RedRover. “Purina is proud to be part of the Coalition’s efforts to support funding for this important life-saving program, as we continue working to keep pets and people together, even in times of crisis.”  The PAWS Act Coalition would like to thank the original co-sponsors of the Pet and Women Safety Act for their leadership and commitment to its passage, especially the lead sponsors Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-MA-5), Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and former Senator Dean Heller (R-NV). The Coalition is also particularly grateful to former Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) for spearheading the effort to pass the bill by including its language in the Farm Bill.  Domestic violence shelters across the U.S. will be eligible to apply online for grants in the coming months, and additional details about the application process will be forthcoming from the U.S. Department of Justice, which administers the grant program.     This continued funding follows the success of the FY 2020 Emergency Transitional Pet Shelter Housing and Assistance...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Zoetis announced today the results of a survey of 16,000 dog and cat owners and 1,200 veterinarians across eight countries and four continents. The research shows that the human-animal bond is strong, that pets positively impact their owners’ health, and that stronger bonds are connected to improved veterinary care around the world. “When 95 percent of pet owners globally consider their pet a part of their family, and 98 percent reported that they have personally experienced health benefits from having a pet in their lives, we have documented more comprehensively than ever before that the human-animal bond is universal across countries and cultures,” said Dr. Mike McFarland, DVM, DABVP, Global Chief Medical Officer of Zoetis and Chair of the HABRI Board of Trustees. Survey participants included dog and cat owners in eight countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Japan and China. Pet owner participants in the survey were the primary caregivers of their pets, and the samples were nationally representative by gender, age and region. In addition, 1,200 veterinarians across these same countries participated in this research. Key findings show that the human-animal bond is universally valued and recognized among pet owners: 95% consider their pet a part of their family 92% say there’s no reason they would ever be convinced to give up their pet 90% say they have a close relationship with their pet 86% would pay whatever it takes if their pet needed extensive veterinary care 76% say they would make major life changes for their pet, if necessary In addition, pet ownership is strongly linked to improved human health, with the vast majority of pet owners around the world having personally experienced health benefits from the human-animal bond. The findings show that: 87% have experienced the mental health and/or physical health benefits of the human-animal bond Virtually all...