Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education (OHAIRE)

New publication alert! The research on the social experiences of service dog partners is still limited, so we conducted a comprehensive review of empirical, theoretical, and legal literature surrounding the social experiences of service dog partners. While service dogs can provide important social benefits, including acting as a social bridge, decreasing isolation, and increasing activity participation, this is an incomplete picture - many service dog partners also report consistent challenges in social settings. Among the most common challenges reported are experiences of stigma, discrimination, and access or service denials. Both research and law review articles suggested that service dog partners with disabilities that are less readily apparent encounter a higher frequency of discrimination relative to those with more visible disabilities. Our findings highlight the need for group efforts to increase inclusion and access for service dog partners! Read the full paper here:?https://lnkd.in/gb98hYNw This paper was led by OHAIRE Lab PhD Candidate Sarah Leighton. We thank our co-authors, Molly Hofer, Dr. Cara Miller, Dr. Matthias Mehl, Dr. Tammi Walker, Dr. Evan MacLean, and Dr. Maggie O'Haire. #ResearchMatters #ServiceDogs #ServiceDogFraud Assistance Dogs International International Guide Dog Federation

Thank you to the College of Science at The University of Arizona for inviting our incredible HAI researchers, Drs. Emily Bray and Evan MacLean to kick off this remarkable lecture series. Didn’t catch the event live? Watch the recording below to learn more about decoding the communication between humans and dogs https://lnkd.in/gZstJSSG

Did you know that having animals in the classroom may improve the learning environment? Our 2018 study explored the effects of animals int he classroom on third and fourth graders! Parents and teachers both felt like the animals benefited their students. Students did not report changes in their own social skills, academic skills, or problem behaviors, which indicates a need for more research! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g7kicAXZ #ResearchMatters #HumanAnimalInteraction

#NationalScienceDay ?? Did you know that we have a staff of researchers? For decades, our #science and research team has been on the forefront of canine research, discovering information that helps us better understand cognition and behaviors of dogs. The team recently finished data collection for a big project in January, on a Genome Wide Association Study with the University of Arizona (specifically, Dr. Emily Bray, a former staff at Canine Companions & Dr. Evan MacLean). This involved completing cognition tests with 1,073 dogs and analyzing their genomes. We're excited to dive into the data over the next few years and see what we learn about how genetics link to behavior and how we can learn more about what makes for a successful #servicedog. ???? ?? Learn more about our research projects and meet the team: canine.org/research #research #genome #canineresearch #LeadWithIndependence #universityofarizona #uofa

Be sure to check out the upcoming lecture on March 6 at Centennial Hall featuring Emily Bray and Evan MacLean as they discuss the science surrounding communication between people and dogs. https://lnkd.in/gCDFqP3z

Catch OHAIRE Lab Doctoral Research Associate Sarah Leighton at the Assistance Dogs International conference in Orland, FL, March 2-5! Along with Dr. Brenda Kennedy from Canine Companions?, Sarah will present our findings from research on service dog partnerships for children with autism and their families. Research collaborations, like the Canines for Autism Research Study (CARES), are critically needed to build the scientific evidence base on service dog partnerships. #ResearchMatters #Collaboration

Recently I got to visit the amazing team at America's VetDogs on Long Island where I got to train people on the dog temperament battery for the Service Dog and Veteran Experience Study, a study exploring how psychiatric service dogs impact the lives of veterans with PTSD. So excited to see what we learn from this ongoing research project!

?? Exciting news! The University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine is joining the world’s most extensive study on pets and mental health, led by Mars and Waltham Petcare Science Institute. Drs. Emily Bray, Kerri Rodriguez, PhD, Evan MacLean, and Maggie O'Haire’ will contribute to this groundbreaking research on the human-animal bond. Dr. Maggie O’Haire shared: “Both the breadth and depth of this study program promise to deliver novel data and greater insight into something many people instinctively feel – that the bond between pet and pet owner is a powerful and unique part of the human experience. We are proud to continue to collaborate with Mars and its world-leading research institute as it embarks on this transformative work." #HumanAnimalBond #HAIResearch #MentalHealth #Arizona https://lnkd.in/giZJRZ9g

#TBT to the inaugural Data Connects Us publication featuring our research! Scroll to the end to see our article. We are proud to have been highlighted in a scientific magazine from the University of Arizona Research, Innovation & Impact have many different scientific magazines covering a wide range of topics including the Service Dog and Veteran Experiences Study (SERVES)! Some sources say that roughly half of all academic papers are read only by their authors and editors. Therefore, it's important for scientific research to be communicated through other avenues, such as through media, to reach wider audiences. View the entire magazine: https://lnkd.in/gezdp46X #ResearchMatters

We are excited to share the launch of the Pets and Wellbeing Study (PAWS) program led by Waltham Petcare Science Institute – a multi-year initiative that stands to be the world’s largest research program of its kind exploring the impacts of cats and dogs on human mental health and wellbeing.? ? Through collaboration with leading universities and organizations including Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, University of Maryland School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liverpool, University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine and Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), the multi-disciplinary research program will engage over 35,000 people across 20+ countries in the initial phase and will continue to build over time.? ? We’ve spent decades researching the mutual impact of the human-animal relationships and are proud to lead the pursuit of deeper insight and scientific data through innovative, and robust research.? ? Learn more about the PAWS program here: https://lnkd.in/e4RaZw4J? ? #ProudlyMars #HumanAnimalBond #HumanAnimalInteraction #Wellness #ABetterWorldForPets?#Waltham