Synchrony and The Human Animal Bond Research Institute Form Strategic Alliance to Champion the Human-Animal Bond

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) has hailed the results of a HABRI-funded study led by researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute and The University of Western Australia (UWA) that found dog ownership to be positively associated with physical activity in preschool-aged children. The study was just published in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports. “Our research found that engaging with the family dog through playing and going on family walks was positively associated with young children’s physical activity, sleep, and negatively associated with screen time,” said Telethon Kids and UWA Associate Professor Hayley Christian, who was Principal Investigator on the study. “With many young children not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity, screen time and sleep, we hope these results will help parents, children and pets be more active and healthy.” “With these new research findings, we have solid evidence that pet dogs can benefit physical health in young children,” said Steven Feldman, President of HABRI. “HABRI looks forward to sharing these results and encouraging families to spend more quality time playing with and walking their dogs.” The research team, led by Dr. Christian, analyzed data from 1,336 children aged 2-5 years in the ‘Play Spaces and Environments for Children’s Physical Activity’ (PLAYCE) study, an observational study investigating the influence of the childcare environment on young children’s physical activity. Parent-report surveys collected information about socio-demographic characteristics, family dog ownership, physical activity, outdoor play, family dog walking and play, screen time and sleep. Preschoolers wore ActiGraph accelerometers to measure physical activity. Findings indicate that dog-owning preschoolers did eight more sessions per week of unstructured physical activity than those from non-dog households. Dog-owning preschoolers who played with their dog three or more times per week...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today that Treat Planet, makers of natural, eco-friendly pet products, has become an official supporter of HABRI and its research on the human health benefits of companion animals. “As makers of the best darn treats on the planet, Treat Planet provides man’s best friend with the best quality nutrition to keep them healthy and happy,” said Doug Martin, President of Treat Planet. “HABRI’s research shows that by maintaining a pet’s health, pet owners can improve their own health and well-being. Through supporting HABRI, Treat Planet is now advancing the human-animal bond through scientific research and quality nutrition, and we couldn’t be more proud.” “Recent HABRI research found that when educated about the health benefits of the human-animal bond, pet owners are more likely to provide their pets with higher quality nutrition, including treats,” said Steven Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI. “Not only is Treat Planet furthering its own mission through joining other leading companies and organizations from the pet care community that support HABRI, but it’s also contributing to a broader purpose of ensuring that more people can improve their health and quality of life through pet ownership.” 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 more frequent visits to the...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced funding for a new research project that will explore the challenges cancer survivors encounter in caring for their pets throughout the course of their treatment and recovery with the goal of informing the development of clinical assessments and interventions to better address their pet-related needs. The funding was awarded to a team of researchers at Colorado State University co-led by Dr. Jennifer Currin-McCulloch and Dr. Lori Kogan. Research suggests that pet ownership offers emotional support and connection for cancer survivors. Although there are many documented benefits of pet ownership for this population, there are critical gaps in knowledge about the benefits or practical day-to-day strains pets may create for survivors’ physical and emotional well-being. This project’s overall objective is to explore the benefits, stressors, and social support structures survivors encounter in caring for their pets under the One Health framework, which emphasizes a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach to public health. “Cancer is one of the most common illnesses in the United States, and while the impact of human social support on cancer survivors is well documented, the influence of pets on survivors’ wellbeing is not,” explained Dr. Currin-McCulloch. “In conducting this research, we hope to help cancer survivors enjoy the benefits of their relationship with their pet by minimizing the stress involved with meeting their pets’ needs during their survivorship trajectory.” This study will employ an online mixed methods survey to identify if and how pets serve as emotional support and/or stressors for cancer survivors, and how support systems can promote their ability to provide for their pets’ physical and emotional well-being. The researchers will build on these survey results by conducting focus groups to explore how survivors support their pets and what gaps exist in pet-related...