New Study to Investigate the Impact of Pets on the Mental Health of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today that the public is now invited to submit nominations for the Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards, a program designed to recognize companies and organizations that are using innovation to advance the human-animal bond and create a more pet-friendly society. “HABRI is inspired by so many impassioned companies and organizations that are finding innovative ways to honor the human-animal bond,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “Research shows how pets boost our mental and physical health, which is why it is so important to recognize those that contribute to a stronger role for pets in society.” “PetSmart Charities is thrilled to be the Presenting Sponsor for the Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President of PetSmart Charities. “We look forward to providing a platform for groundbreaking new ideas and innovations that can improve life for pets and people together.” The submission deadline for award nominations is May 22, 2023. To submit a nomination, please visit www.habri.org/hab-innovation-awards.Nominations can be submitted in five award categories: Products and Services: Recognizes companies or organizations creating products or services that acknowledge and enhance the human-animal bond. Pet-Inclusive Culture: Recognizes companies, organizations, or institutions creating a pet inclusive culture within communities, groups and/or workplaces. Public Service: Recognizes organizations with impactful programs to protect and strengthen the human-animal bond in their communities. Pet-Inclusive Infrastructure: Recognizes companies, organizations, or institutions purposefully developing transportation, architecture, or environments to safeguard and strengthen the human-animal bond. Media: Recognizes an individual, media outlet or creative content that positively educates people about and illuminates key aspects of the human-animal bond. “This year’s award categories...

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) today announced it has awarded a $13,000 grant to the Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies for a new study, Listening EARS: How Does Reading to Rabbits Affect Reading Skills of Third Grade Students?, to uncover how reading aloud to a non-threatening presence, like a classroom rabbit, helps improve students’ reading skills. “The human-animal bond can lessen the stress young children can feel when taking on challenging tasks in the classroom, like reading aloud,” said Dr. Annie Petersen, Ed.D., Principal Investigator in the Listening EARS study. “This study will provide us with a valuable tool to understand and act on the benefits of small animals to student learning and development.” By utilizing small animals already present in classrooms (e.g. rabbits and guinea pigs), it is predicted that classroom interactions with an animal will improve 3rd grade students’ oral fluency and reading comprehension, two essential measures of academic success. “HABRI is committed to studying the impact of companion animals on child health and development,” said Steve Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI. “This new research will contribute to the growing body of scientific evidence that demonstrates the benefits of pets in the classroom.”

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced the initiation of five new research projects focused on the positive effects of human-animal interaction on human health. These new scientific studies will focus on important areas of human-animal interaction research, including child health, healthy aging, cardiovascular health, and chronic disease management.   “This new group of projects will provide further evidence for the health benefits of the human-animal bond,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “For example, HABRI is funding the first study to examine the role of pet ownership on gut microbiota and risk of cardiovascular disease.”  The following five research projects were awarded HABRI funding:  Jeffrey Kline, MD (Indiana University): Canine-assisted anxiety reduction in pediatric emergency care (CANINE III)  Katharine M Watson, BVMS (Indiana University): The influence of pet ownership on gut microbiota composition and cardiovascular disease risk among 50 to 85-year old United States adults  Kevin Morris, PhD (University of Denver): Exploring the impacts of animal-assisted interventions on positive youth development for adolescents in residential treatment  Jessica Bibbo, PhD (Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging): Uncovering Pet Ownership Benefits, Challenges, and Resources in an Aging Society: Promoting Healthy Aging in Healthcare and Community Environments  B. Rhett Rigby, PhD (Texas Woman’s University): How does 8 weeks of equine-assisted therapy affect older adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?  The CANINE III study will focus on the efficacy and impact of therapy animal interaction, and was made possible through Pet Partners, which continues to commit special funding for research into the health benefits of animal-assisted therapy.  “This robust pipeline of innovative research is made possible through the support leading pet care companies and organizations who...