Volume 4, December 2010
Upcoming Events
Research Spotlight: Prof. Daniel Mills
Professor Daniel Mills is the UK's first
specialist in veterinary behavioral
medicine to be recognized by the
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Based at the University of Lincoln,
Professor Mills is the country's first
professor of the discipline and he
leads the Masters program in clinical
animal behavior and an international
research group examining companion
animal behavior and welfare. He's the
Photo Courtesy of Andy
Weekes
principal author of the text Equine
Behaviour, Principles and Practice,
and is co-editor of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline
Behavioural Medicine.
WALTHAM® spoke to Professor Mills about his research and
work in the field of veterinary behavioral medicine.
How do you think your research into behavioral
medicine plays a role in human-animal interaction (HAI)
research?
Behavioral medicine is very much focused on ensuring that the
human-animal relationship is successful and respects the
interests of all involved. Problem behavior in animals is often
an expression of tension or conflict in the system, where the
animals' behavior could be coming from expectations that are
unrealistic. By analyzing both the behavior of companion
animals that have adapted their behavior to fit in with the
needs of their family and evaluating and, if necessary,
adjusting the expectations of the family, we can better assist
all those involved with meeting realistic goals for the
relationship between people and their pets.
NAVC 2011: The 2011
North American Veterinary
Conference (NAVC) is
taking place 15-19
January 2011 in Orlando,
Florida. WALTHAM® is
sponsoring the World
Small Animal Veterinary
Association HAI stream
during the conference on
19 Jan. Register today!
SRCD Biennial
Meeting: NICHD and
Mars/WALTHAM® will be
hosting a government
agency roundtable
discussion on HAI
research and opportunities
at the Society for
Research in Child
Development (SRCD)
Biennial Meeting, taking
place in Montreal, Quebec
from 31 March - 2 April
2011. Learn more and
register today.
You were recently featured in a broadcast special,
"Dogs Decoded," which aired in November 2010 on
NOVA, a program of PBS. Why do you think it was
important to be a part of that effort?
[1]
NOVA wanted to do something on the growing scientific
interest in dogs, so they researched the field and found our
work. I think to develop realistic expectations and maximize
the benefit of dogs to society we need to understand them
better. Anything that promotes the public understanding of
science in this area has got to be good.
Twenty years ago the thought of dogs being a good subject for
core biological research questions would have been largely
dismissed, just as work on domestic animals was largely
ignored by biology 50 years ago. We now realize that dogs,
especially those dogs that are pets, allow us to answer
questions we simply can't in other species. Their close
association with humans in the home and society make them
quite unique.
What impact do you hope your research will have?
Ultimately, the big goal is to try to increase understanding for
both human and veterinary medicine of the importance and
value of greater biological understanding of animals. There is
enormous health and emotional value to be had from
maximizing the value of animals in society.
HAI Research & Funding Opportunities
NICHD and WALTHAM® Funding Announcements
In 2008, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health and
the WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, a division of
Mars, Inc., entered into a public-private partnership to study the
interaction between humans and animals. The partnership
encourages human-animal interaction (HAI) research, especially
as it relates to child development, health, and the therapeutic
use of animals with children and adolescents. As a part of this
partnership, research awards were announced earlier this year.
The studies receiving funding include:

Genetic Components Influencing Feline-Human Social
Bond. The objective of this research is to investigate the
influence of genetic variation in a cat's role in animal-assisted
interventions and human-animal interactions. (Dr Leslie A
Lyons, University of California, Davis, 1R03HD066594)
ISAE 2011:The Annual
Congress of the
International Society for
Applied Ethology (ISAE) is
being held 30 July - 4
August 2011 in
Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sponsored by WALTHAM®,
ISAE 2011 will attract
researchers, educators,
students and policymakers with diverse yet
common interests from
around the globe to
disseminate, gather and
discuss vital information
on the well-being and
behavior of companion,
farm, laboratory, wildlife
and zoo animals and their
interface with society. The
abstract deadline for the
conference is 14 February
2011. Find out more.
ISAZ 2011: The
International Society for
Anthrozoology (ISAZ)
2011 meeting, "HumanAnimal Interactions:
Challenges and Rewards,"
occurs immediately
following ISAE 2011 in
Indianapolis, Indiana from
4-6 August 2011.
Sponsored by WALTHAM®,
the deadline for abstracts
is 1 April 2011. Read the
flyer and get updated
information as its
available.
2011 WSAVA World
Congress: The 2011
World Small Animal
Veterinary Association
(WSAVA) World Congress
is scheduled for 14-17
October 2011 in Jeju,
South Korea. WALTHAM®
is sponsoring a session on
animal welfare and ethics
on 15 October.
Learn more about the
Congress.
[2]

They call it Puppy Love: Epidemiology and Biology of the
Child-Dog Bond. This study will link new measures of child-dog
attachment to existing behavioral measures from a large
community sample of adolescents, and will also enhance
understanding of the neurobiological pathways that underlie
individual differences in the child-dog bond that may further
serve as protective influences for child development. (Kristen
Jacobson, University of Chicago, 1R03HD066598)

Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: Mental
Health Correlates of Concomitant Exposure to Animal
Abuse. This study hypothesizes that based on social learning,
attachment, and empathy development theories, concomitant
exposure to animal abuse may provide children an additional
model of antisocial behavior, increase their emotional distress if
the animal abuse to which they have been exposed involves
pets to which children are emotionally attached, and may affect
personal distress and empathy. (Frank Ascione, Denver
University, 1R01HD066503)

The Role of Human-Animal Interactions in Treating SelfEsteem, Self-Regulation and Social Behavior. This study
will provide insight into the role of social skills training and HAI
on self-regulation, self-esteem and social behaviors in children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a
neurodevelopmental group that typically presents with poor
social skills. (Sabrina Schuck, University of California, Irvine,
1R01HD066593)

Estimating the Causal Effect of Interacting with Pet Dogs
and Cats. Using existing data from a large epidemiological
study, this project will document the overall public health effects
of living with dogs and cats on children and adolescents.
(Jeremy Miles, Rand Corporation, 1R01HD066591)

Efficacy Trial of Equine Assisted Intervention on Child
Stress and Competence. This study will seek to ascertain
whether - and how - equine assisted intervention provides an
effective approach to enhance socio-emotional and behavioural
strengths of individual children to facilitate the prevention or
resolution of mental, emotional and behavioural problems.
(Patricia Pendry, Washington State University,1R03HD066590)

Effects of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Children and
Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This
study aims to expand on pilot study findings of significant
improvements in self-regulation, communication, and motor
skills for ASD participants involved in 10-weeks of therapeutic
horseback riding compared to a 10-week waitlist control group.
(Robin Gabriels, University of Colorado, 1R01NR012736)
Tell a Friend
Forward the
WALTHAM® Centre for Pet
Nutrition Human-Animal
Interaction (HAI)
newsletter on to your
colleagues interested in
HAI research and
activities. Subscribe to the
newsletter by contacting
us at [email protected].
[3]
To get more information about these studies, go to
http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm and enter RFA/PA
references "RFA-HD-09-030" and "RFA-HD-09-031."
In keeping with the partnership, NICHD released the next
request for applications (RFA) for HAI research on 20 August
2010. The deadline for applications is 21 December 2010, with
additional news about the announcement expected in spring
2011.
ISAZ/ Collaborative Research Award
The International Society for Anthrozoology
(ISAZ) and WALTHAM® partnered to create a
collaborative grant program to stimulate new
research in the area of HAI, with particular
interest in the role of pets in the lives of elders,
pets enhancing healthy longevity, and the role of
pets in the community. The application deadline for the award is
15 January 2011.
NICHD Summer Institute
NICHD's Summer Institute in Applied Research in
Child and Adolescent Development is being held 1924 June 2011. The Institute's goal is to support
investigators who are beginning careers as applied
researchers by providing training that will build upon
their existing content knowledge and research skills. The theme
for this Institute is intervention research. Application packets
and additional information are available through NICHD.
HAI News & Resources
News:
Pets more trustworthy than people: Survey
Calgary Herald/PostMedia News, 15 December 2010
Service dog finds new career at Children's Inn
NIH Record, 10 December 2010
Addressing human needs
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 15
December 2010
Dogs drive fitness in new Power of Pets programs
USA Today, 28 September 2010
Women say their dogs are better listeners than their male
partners
UK Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2010
[4]
Resources:
American Psychological Association (APA) Animal-Human
Interaction: Research and Practice: The APA's Animal-Human
Interaction section is dedicated to professional and scholarly
activities that advance the understanding of animal-human
interactions as they relate to counseling psychology.
Bibliographies:
At anthrozoology.org, visitors can browse for abstracts by topic.
The Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) provides
information for improved animal care and use in research,
testing, teaching, and exhibition.
About Mars, Incorporated and the WALTHAM® Centre for Pet
Nutrition
Mars, the world's largest producer of pet food, has long conducted research
on the nutritional needs of pets and more broadly in the area of HumanAnimal Interaction. The WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition has been a
leading scientific authority in pet nutrition and well-being, advancing the
frontiers of scientific research into the nutrition and healthy longevity of
companion animals for nearly 50 years. Located in Leicestershire, England,
the renowned state-of-the art science institute focuses on the nutritional and
behavioral needs of companion animals and their benefits to humans,
enabling the development of innovative products which meet these needs in
a practical way. WALTHAM® has, in collaboration with world leading scientific
institutes, pioneered many important breakthroughs in pet nutrition, that
support leading Mars brands such as WHISKAS®, PEDIGREE®, NUTRO®,
TRILL®, CESAR®,SHEBA®, KITEKAT®, AQUARIAN®, WINERGY® and the ROYAL
CANIN® Brand.
www.waltham.com
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