New Research Looks at Impact of Service Dogs on Medication Regimens for Veterans with PTSD

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) Foundation today announced the findings of a new economic study on the healthcare cost savings associated with pet ownership. The economic analysis, conducted by two researchers from George Mason University, calculated an $11.7 billion savings in U.S. healthcare costs as a result of pet ownership. “There was abundant research to show that pets have a positive effect on our health, but this is the first time that anyone has looked at the impact on the U.S. healthcare system,” said study co-author Terry L. Clower, PhD Northern Virginia Chair and Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University’s School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs and Director of its Center on Regional Analysis. “Our analysis shows that pet ownership produces meaningful savings for total health care costs in the United States.” “Thinking about things that people should do to maintain their health, ‘get a pet’ belongs on that list,” said HABRI Executive Director, Steven Feldman. “When health insurance companies are looking at wellness incentives to keep costs down, pet ownership provides another way for people to stay healthy and save money.” The largest savings was determined based on a lower incidence of physician office visits by pet owners as compared to non-owners. According to the study, 132.8 million pet owners in the United States visit a doctor 0.6 times less than the average non-pet owners. The average cost of a physician office visit is $139. Pet owners, in this way, were responsible for saving $11.37 billion in U.S. healthcare costs. Additional savings were calculated for dog owners who walk their dog five or more times a week. This group, totaling more than 20 million people, shows a lower incidence of obesity, and were responsible for saving $419 million in related healthcare costs. While additional health benefits associated with pet ownership have been documented by scientific research, the economists...

Funded by a two-year grant from the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), faculty from the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Family and Consumer Science and the Obesity Initiative are collaborating on a new research project to examine the impact of pet companionship on mental and emotional health in older adults living alone. “Housing and health are essential to overall well-being, a fact known to pertain to both humans and animals”, said Heidi Ewen, assistant professor, Colleges of Public Health and Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia. “We have proposed a unique solution to help older adults living alone at home establish new social bonds, by pairing them with homeless foster cats.” Partnering with the Athens Area Humane Society and UGA’s Campus Cats organization, a rescue group that works with homeless cats on campus, the team will match foster parents and felines. The team is led by Heidi Ewen and Sherry Sanderson, a veterinarian and associate professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Beginning in October, the team will begin to identify older adults in the Athens Area that are willing to foster cats. The 34 pairs of cats and seniors will then be interviewed and assessed throughout the study to determine whether having a pet in the house leads to changes in their emotional well-being. Assessments include, loneliness, emotional well-being, and purpose of life scales as well as measures of attachment to, and comfort from, the foster cat. Findings are expected to demonstrate improvements in mental and behavioral health in foster parents including reduction in loneliness and depression, and that attachment to the companion animal will increase the duration of fostering or lead to adoption of the foster cat. “As efforts around the country have increased to reduce euthanasia rates of homeless pets, there is an increasing reliance upon foster homes to bridge the time between...

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...