Author Archives: SCAS

8 November 2022 is International Human Animal Bond Day!

#IHABDay #HABA #HumanAnimalBond

The International HAB Day is a joint effort between the Human Animal Bond Association in the United States and the Society of Companion Animal Studies in the United Kingdom.

The Human Animal Bond Association (HABA) is a group of like-minded people who care for other animals. HABA’s mission is to advocate, celebrate and educate about our connection with the natural world including our companion animals and why that’s important to all of us.

Listen to Dr Elizabeth Ormerod talk about the human-animal bond in her introduction to the SCAS2022 conference:

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Pet-Inclusive Housing Report

Pets and people belong together – no matter where they live! This is a sentiment shared by SCAS, for whom Pets in Housing remains a priority and was the topic of this year’s conference.

The Pet-Inclusive Housing Report, published by the Michelson Found Animals Foundation, is a valuable new resource that provides data and market-based solutions for renters, landlords, and others seeking to help keep pets and people together.  

Download the Pet-Inclusive Housing Report.

Pet-Friendly Policy: Please sign the Battersea Pledge

Many people are suffering needlessly when forced to choose between finding rental housing and keeping their companion animal. SCAS has supported its partner, Battersea, by signing their pledge to help show that renters want and deserve to experience the joys of pet ownership.

We encourage all SCAS members to also sign this pledge as individuals – you can do so here: https://bit.ly/3B9fJpz.

Vettimes article about the 2022 SCAS Conference

An article has been published in the recent issue of Vettimes about the annual SCAS conference on Pets in Housing. Written by John Bonner, the article summarises some of the key points from the event and highlights the importance of keeping pets and people together. You can read the article here:

If you missed the conference, a recording can be purchased by contacting scasinbox@gmail.com

Back-to-School Special: Pets in the Classroom!

Research suggests that classroom pets can improve academic performance and social skills in children (See McCullough et al., 2019). The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) has funded research by Dr. Marguerite E. O’Haire, Purdue University, to study guinea pigs in classroom settings.

‘SCAS provided instrumental funding to enable our initial research on guinea pigs in school classrooms. With their support, we were able to identify that the presence of guinea pigs in the classroom led to improvements in social functioning for both children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers. These findings led to an ongoing stream of research on animals in school classrooms and for children with autism. I am grateful for their support of my own work and of the broader field’.

Dr. Marguerite E. O’Haire

Tell a teacher! Do know, or are you a teacher who wants to help children experience the joy and learning opportunities of interacting with and caring for animals? Especially those children who do not have the opportunity to interact with pets at home!

Pets in the Classroom is an educational grant program that provides financial support to teachers in the US or Canada to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom. The program was established by the Pet Care Trust to provide children with an opportunity to interact with pets—an experience that can help to shape their lives for years to come.

Donate, apply for a grant, or access free resources here:

https://www.petsintheclassroom.org/