Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) Announces 2019 Research Grants, Reaches $3 Million in Total Research Funding

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) today announced funding for five new research projects focused on the positive effects of human-animal interaction (HAI) on human health and wellness. These new studies will examine the influence of pet ownership, animal-assisted therapy, service dogs, and dog-walking on various aspects of physical and mental health of children, adolescents and their families. With the funding of these five grants, HABRI's total research funding has now exceeded $3 million.

"The organizations, companies and individuals that support HABRI deserve recognition for achieving this important milestone," said Steven Feldman, HABRI Executive Director. "Their contributions have allowed HABRI to fund high-quality research projects that build to the body of evidence for pet ownership and HAI as essential to our health."

The following five research projects were awarded funding in 2019:

Megan Arant (The University of British Columbia): Direct Experimental Assessment of Therapy Dog Handlers on Child and Dog Behavior During AAI

Marguerite E. O'Haire (Purdue University): Evaluating the Effects of Service Dogs on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Their Caregivers

Megan Kiely Mueller (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University): Human-Animal Interaction and Trajectories of Youth Development in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

Kamala London (University of Toledo): Implementation of Canine-Assisted Forensic Interviews with Children

Eunice Chen (Temple University): Diamond Dogs: A Pilot Dog-Walking Trial with Overweight College Students and Dog Shelters in the Inner-City

The funded projects from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toledo are focused on the impact and efficacy of therapy animals, and were made possible by Pet Partners, which committed $100,000 for HABRI research in this area.

Since HABRI's founding in 2010, HABRI has funded 31 scientific research projects from institutions across the globe, and has supported the creation of HABRI Central, the world's most comprehensive online library of human-animal interaction research.

The 2020 HABRI Call for Research Proposals is now open. Please visit http://www.habri.org/funding-opportunities to learn more.

About HABRI
HABRI is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the world's largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit http://www.habri.org.

SOURCE Human Animal Bond Research Institute