Professor Samantha Hurn from Exeter University blogs about an ongoing research project into companion animal bereavement in children, funded by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS).
Continue readingNational Volunteers’ Week, 1-7 June 2021 #VolunteersWeek
If you’ve got a bit more spare time on your hands following retirement, an empty nest or reduced working hours, then volunteering could be a rewarding way to spend some time this National Volunteers’ Week from 1-7 June, 2021. If you’re a dog or cat owner, your four-legged friend can get involved too!
This year’s National Volunteer’s Week takes place from the 1-7 June and this year aims to give recognition and thanks to volunteers across the country.
As part of this, we will showcase some of the amazing work that our members do; it could be through volunteering themselves or running a charitable organisation that relies on volunteers to make the magic happen.
Continue readingWe are looking for volunteers to join our 2021 public advisory panel. As a member of the SCAS advisory panel you would be invited to review some of this year’s applications for funding to help us to make decisions about the projects we fund.
Continue reading
SCAS trustee Dr. Sandra McCune will participate in the ‘Careers in Anthrozoology Panel’ that is hosted by the International Society of Anthrozoology (ISAZ) on the 21st June 2021. This half-day workshop is for students, postdocs, and early career researchers and is a satellite event of the 30th International Society for Anthrozoology Conference (June 22-24). The workshop is free for ISAZ student members and conference registrants.
This week is Dementia Action Week; a week that looks at how to improve the lives of people affected by dementia. Towards the end of last year, care charity, Methodist Homes (MHA), started trialling the use of robotic cats in three of its homes. The life-sized cat robots purr, nuzzle their head into the hand of the person stroking it and roll over onto their back for a tummy rub.
Continue reading
Animals are to be formally recognised as sentient beings in UK law for the first time, as the government set out a suite of animal welfare measures today (12 May 2021).
Continue reading
We all want the best for our animals, especially when we are involving them with clients.
The “What therapy animals should look like” PowerPoint was put together by Dr Rise VanFleet of the International Institute of Animal Assisted Play Therapy®️. It looks at the body language of animals and includes images taken from the internet of therapy animals in different situations and explains whether they are displaying stress or enjoyment.
Continue reading
A new Frontiers’ Special Topic, Our Canine Connection: The History, Benefits and Future of Human-Dog Interactions includes theoretical and review papers summarising the latest research and practice in the historical development of our deepening bond with dogs, the physiological and psychological changes that occur during human-dog interactions (to both humans and dogs) as well as the selection, training and welfare of companion animals and working dogs.
Continue readingThe March newsletter from the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) is now available. This edition includes the new International Guidelines for Equine Care and Welfare, and Equine Training and Handling in Equine-Assisted Services. Everyone involved in equine-assisted services is encouraged to review these guidelines and help us to disseminate them widely.