Partnership Highlights Veterinarian Role in Strengthening the Human-Companion Animal Bond

The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act Coalition today celebrated the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, which for the third year in a row, includes funding for an important 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 $3 million appropriated for 2022 represents a $500,000 increase in funding from 2021, up to the fully-authorized amount, and comes three years after bipartisan passage of the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. “Congressional funding for the PAWS Act, coupled with private sector support, directly results in more domestic abuse survivors and their pets being able to safely enter shelter and start the next chapter of their lives together,” said Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO and President of Purina. “Through Purina’s partnership with RedRover on the Purple Leash Project, we’ve set a national goal to help ensure that at least 25% of domestic violence shelters in the U.S. are pet-friendly by 2025. Full funding of the PAWS Act keeps this goal within reach.” Demand for the Emergency Transitional Pet Shelter Housing and Assistance Grant Program has continually surpassed the funding available for the program, leading to bipartisan calls to further increase funding in 2022. The PAWS Act Coalition honors the bipartisan efforts of 204 Representatives, led by Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA-5), and 43 Senators, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Gary Peters (D-MI), for requesting this critical funding for FY 2022. 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 and FY 2021 Emergency Transitional Pet Shelter Housing...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today that Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group™, one of the oldest U.S. providers of pet health insurance, has become an official supporter of HABRI and its research on the human health benefits of companion animals. “For twenty years, we’ve been committed to helping people get access to reliable and affordable pet insurance coverage,” said Bob Capobianco, Senior Vice President, Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group. “Supporting HABRI research is important because it connects the positive impact that pets play in our lives, and closely aligns with the work we do to help pets live longer and healthier.” “HABRI is thrilled to welcome Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group as a supporter,” said Steven Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI. “From HABRI research, we know that pets are considered part of the family, and that the growing importance of pets in our lives has driven demand for pet-inclusive policies and benefits at home, in the workplace, and beyond. Pet health insurance plays a key role in strengthening the human-animal bond and supporting the needs of our furry family members, and HABRI is thrilled to be working with Crum & Forster to help more people and pets benefit from healthy human-animal bonds.” 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 recent HABRI survey of 2,000 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 higher quality nutrition to purchasing...

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...