Pet Ownership Saves $22.7 Billion in Annual Health Care Costs

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced results of a new publication led by researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute and The University of Western Australia (UWA), which found a simple health intervention using text messaging may encourage children to spend more time being physically active with their family dog. This randomized controlled trial was published in the journal BMC Pediatrics. “We found texting parents to remind them of how easy and important it is to be active with the family dog is a low-cost intervention with the potential to boost public health, which can be easily implemented across entire communities,” said Telethon Kids and UWA Associate Professor Hayley Christian, Principal Investigator on the study. “Interventions, policies and community programs should capitalize on the high level of dog ownership and incorporate dog walking or play into physical activity campaigns.” “This study shows that a simple text message reminder to play or walk with the family dog can result in increased physical activity for children and their caregivers,” said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. “HABRI looks forward to raising awareness of the results of this publication which outline new and simple ways to encourage families to spend more quality time playing with and walking their dogs.” Dr. Christian and colleagues led the Play Spaces and Environments for Children’s Physical Activity’ (PLAYCE) PAWS mHealth intervention, a randomized controlled trial conducted in Perth, Western Australia. Families of children between the ages of 5 and 10 with a family dog were placed into three experiment groups: one group of parents received regular text reminders about family play with the dog, one group received text reminders while also receiving a dog pedometer to further engage them with the dog, and the third group carried on as usual. This study was the first of its kind to utilize a mobile-based dog-facilitated strategy to increase children’s...

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 Institute (HABRI) today announced funding for a new research project at Colorado State University to study the impact of temperament and stress on the health and success of working dogs. This pilot study aims to measure the Allostatic Load (AL) of dogs, which is understood as the ‘wear and tear’ on the body due to chronic or frequent stressors. Widely published in human health literature, AL in humans is affected by genetics and personality, and high AL is a predictor of negative health outcomes including heart disease and cognitive decline. After successfully validating AL in primates, the research team seeks to validate canine AL for the first time. “Developing a reliable method of measuring chronic stress will help ensure we are taking proper care of working dogs as well as pet dogs,” said the Principal Investigator of this project, Barbara Wolfe, DVM, Ph.D., DACZM, Colorado State University. “If successful, this tool could be utilized to predict success in working dogs and identify when working dogs are experiencing unhealthy levels of stress.” This study will analyze early life events and lifestyle factors that may influence AL in Labrador Retrievers raised to be trained as guide dogs as well as Labrador Retrievers raised as pets. Researchers will use blood sampling to compare biomarkers associated with AL to these lifestyle and event factors to determine any association between AL and potential stressors. While many studies to date have used a single biomarker, such as cortisol, to determine canine stress, measuring AL tests multiple biomarkers of stress which allows for a more accurate measure of the accumulation of stress over time. “This project reflects HABRI’s deep commitment to animal care and welfare,” said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. “Understanding how to improve the lives of our canine companions is crucial to strengthening the human-animal bond.”