Ernie Els Pet Products Joins with HABRI to Champion Research on Autism and the Human-Animal Bond

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced today it has awarded a new research grant, titled “Sharing is caring: can pets protect their owners against antibiotic-associated disruption of the gut microbiome?”, to the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) to investigate whether pets are a source of microbiota that can help restore deficiencies in their owner’s gut microbiome. “A growing number of studies have documented the ability of animal contact to impact the human microbiome (collection of microbes in the intestines) in ways that may help prevent certain types of disease, such as cardiovascular disease and asthma,” said Dr. Laurel Redding, VMD, PhD, DACVPM, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Penn Vet, the project’s Principal Investigator. “In conducting this study, our goal is to shed light on the microbial exchanges that occur between pets and pet owners and assess whether pets can mitigate disruption of their owner’s gut microbiome following antibiotic therapy.” This groundbreaking project will follow pet owners over 60 years old who are taking antibiotics for dental implant placement. Antibiotics disrupt the native gut microbiome, which can result in a range of outcomes, from mild diarrhea to severe “C. diff” infection (infection with Clostridioides difficile), and the elderly are particularly at risk for some of these adverse outcomes. Recovery from this type of disruption is not well understood, and factors that promote this recovery are only beginning to be explored. Researchers hypothesize that the gut microbiomes of pet owners and their pets will resemble each other prior to the course of antibiotics, diverge during the disruption phase, then steadily converge during the recovery phase. In demonstrating that animal contact can yield beneficial effects on the restoration of the human gut microbiome, results of this study may reduce concerns about and even promote contact with household...

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) Pet Giving Network has issued a call for critical supplies in support of the Hurricane Helene & Hurricane Milton disaster relief efforts. The Pet Giving Network Action Alert requests supplies from pet care companies and organizations that are in critical demand in the affected communities.   “Pets are family, and in times of crisis, they need our help as much as people do,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “HABRI is proud to manage the Pet Giving Network, a lifeline providing communities with vital resources to care for animals and their owners in need and is grateful for the American Pet Products Association (APPA), World Pet Association (WPA) and the Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and their members for a strong and longstanding commitment to this important effort.”  “The American Pet Products Association is dedicated to supporting the Pet Giving Network and to helping unite our membership and respond to disasters in the most efficient and effective way,” said Julia Fidenzio-Alicea, Chief Legal Officer, American Pet Products Association (APPA).   With active natural disasters, the Pet Giving Network is stepping up to ensure that pets across the country receive the critical support they need during emergencies. The Pet Giving Network is a collaboration between HABRI and Greater Good Charities, a non-profit organization that works to provide in-kind supplies, donations and programmatic support to those in need. The Pet Giving Network connects pet product companies, non-profit organizations, and shelters to provide essential supplies, such as food, bedding, and medical care, to animals affected by natural disasters.  When hurricanes, floods, and wildfires strike, animal shelters can quickly become overwhelmed, leaving vulnerable pets in urgent need. The Pet Giving Network bridges the gap by facilitating donations from companies in the pet care community and distributing...

Hosted by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), Pet Week on Capitol Hill will bring the power of pets to Capitol Hill, delivering the message to elected representatives that pets are important for human health and wellbeing, especially during these unprecedented times. In an effort to safeguard the health and safety of all, Pet Night on Capitol Hill, the popular, in-person annual reception has been converted to a series of virtual conversations to be held September 8-10, 2020.    “Pets have become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Steven Feldman, Executive Director of HABRI. “Pet Week on Capitol Hill will feature conversations with Members of Congress and pet care leaders about the importance of pet ownership in America.”  In addition to a wealth of information about pets and related policies and legislation that will strengthen the human-animal bond, Pet Week will still include the much-anticipated Cutest Pets on Capitol competition! Pet Week on Capitol Hill is a free event, with all programming streaming from www.PetNight.com.   The full schedule is listed below:  Tuesday, September 8, 2020  4:00 PM EDT  Pet Nation: The Importance of Pets in America  Mark Cushing Author, Pet Nation  Steven Feldman Executive Director, HABRI    Wednesday, September 9, 2020  12 PM EDT  Lifesaving Pet-Related Legislation: A Discussion Of Important Initiatives That Will Help Keep Pets And People Safe, Healthy And Happy Together  Dr. Kurt Venator, DVM, PhD, Chief Veterinary Officer, Nestlé Purina PetCare (and his puppy Emmie)  Nicole Forsyth, President & CEO, RedRover  Nicole Lanahan, Executive Director, Got Your Six Support Dogs  4:00 PM EDT  One Health Act: The Role of Veterinary Medicine in Preventing Future Pandemics  Representative Kurt Schrader (OR-5)    Thursday, September 10, 2020  12 PM EDT  Pet Ownership and Pet Industry Economics in the Post-COVID...