New Research to Study Impacts of Animal-Assisted Interventions for Youth in Residential Treatment Program

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Pet Partners today announced a new grant for research that seeks to understand how individual differences in dogs predict their interest in participating in different types of animal-assisted interventions (AAI). This grant was awarded to Principal Investigator Dr. Sasha Protopopova, Associate Professor in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and co-Investigator Dr. Camila Cavalli, Postdoctoral Fellow in UBC’s Animal Welfare Program. This project will examine how individual differences influence the willingness of therapy dogs to take part in different types of human-animal interactions with a focus on enhancing animal welfare. This knowledge could lead to the development of guidelines for selecting therapy dogs based on their genuine interest in participation rather than just tolerance, thereby improving dog welfare and leading to more effective therapeutic outcomes. “Pet Partners is dedicated to advancing high standards in the field of animal-assisted interventions,” said C. Annie Peters, president & CEO, Pet Partners. “We are proud to be supporting this work with HABRI, which will help to advance our understanding of therapy dog welfare, helping to ensure only the most suitable animals are involved in these therapeutic interventions.” “Therapy dogs often do not have the ability to express their preferences within an AAI session, which could potentially lead to stress or reduce the effectiveness of their work,” said Dr. Sasha Protopopova, the Principal Investigator of this project. “We aim to improve the welfare of therapy dogs by understanding their preferences and interests during AAI.” Researchers will enroll 25 therapy dogs and 25 pet dogs, matched by breed and age. Dog owners will complete two dog behavior questionnaires, and each dog will attend two mock AAI sessions at the University of British Columbia’s Human Animal Interaction Lab, where their behavior...

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) announced today it has awarded a $79,000 grant to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for a new study, The Effect of Animal-Assisted Intervention on Preoperative Anxiety and Dose of Sedation in Children. This study will examine the effect of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) on children’s anxiety levels and sedation medication dosages prior to surgery. “The goal of this study is to determine if interaction with a therapy dog 20 minutes prior to surgery has a significant effect on reducing a child’s anxiety levels and, in turn, lowering the dose of medication necessary for sedation,” said the study’s principal investigator, Zenithson Y. Ng, DVM, MS, College of Veterinary Medicine at University of Tennessee. “The results of this study may be further used to justify and advocate for AAI in various medical situations and open doors for additional research on measurable medical outcomes associated with AAI.” The three-year, cross-over-designed study on behalf of the veterinary college’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and Biomedical and Diagnostics Sciences will examine 72 children between the ages of 2 and 17 and randomly determine whether the child receives a therapy dog or an iPad tablet 20 minutes before sedation. Dr. Ng and co-investigators Julia Albright, DVM, MA and Marcy Souza, DVM, MPH, will then evaluate heart rate, blood pressure and medicine levels for sedation and compare the amounts of each group. It is expected that children provided with a therapy dog prior to surgery will have significantly lower preoperative anxiety and will require a decreased amount of medication for sedation compared to children who do not interact with a therapy dog. “Scientific research has shown that therapy dogs in hospital settings can have a calming effect, ease stress and provide reassurance to patients young and old, and to their families as well,” said HABRI Executive Director...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced that Heidi Sirota, Nationwide’s Chief Pet Officer, has joined the HABRI Board of Trustees. The HABRI Board of Trustees is the governing body that oversees HABRI’s programs and activities. This announcement follows the recognition earlier this year of Nationwide as a Human-Animal Bond Certified Company and reinforces Nationwide’s strong support for HABRI’s mission to advance the vital role of the human-animal bond in the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and companion animals. “Nationwide’s support of HABRI is another way we help people and their pets experience better lives together,” said Heidi Sirota. “I am thrilled to join the HABRI Board and collaborate with other pet industry experts to advance science, educate the public and advocate for a healthier, more pet-friendly society.” “HABRI is grateful for Nationwide’s longstanding commitment to supporting scientific research on the human-animal bond,” said Steve Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI. “Stepping up as a HABRI Trustee only further underscores Nationwide’s commitment to the human-animal bond and to the health and wellbeing of pet and human lives.” Scientific evidence increasingly shows that pets improve heart health, alleviate depression, increase well-being, support child health and development, and contribute to healthy aging. In addition, companion animals can assist in the treatment of a broad range of conditions from post-traumatic stress to Alzheimer’s disease to autism spectrum disorder. The benefits of the human-animal bond impact more than just human health. Findings from a HABRI survey of pet owners demonstrate that knowledge of the scientific research on the human-animal bond motivates pet owners to take better care of their pets – from providing pets with better veterinary care to purchasing pet health insurance. In March 2020, Nationwide became a Human-Animal Bond Certified...