Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

HABRI Central Focuses on Seven Key Areas of Human Animal Bond Research

March 11th, 2013

BobVetere, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation (HABRI), is pleased to announce that over the past year, its online hub, HABRI Central, has collected extensive research and evidence available online for peer review in seven key areas including allergy and asthma immunity among children, Alzheimer’s, autism, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After more than a year of organizing existing research and data, HABRI Central has identified these seven areas of strong scientific research solidifying the positive impacts animals have on human health.

“Research exploring the human-animal bond is still a relatively new area of study and we are pleased with the compilation and strong amount of research that has been conducted on these health issues thus far,” said Vetere. “We look forward to continuing the momentum and our commitment to supporting research in multiple fields to help solidify that pets provide people with dozens of health benefits and much more than just love and companionship.”

Among key findings in these seven fields, new research has shown that contact with companion animals can have physical benefits to those with PTSD including the release of oxytocin and endorphins in the brain; pets can have a protective effect for young children from allergies later in life; and patients recovering from heart surgery have a better rate of survival if they own a pet.

Housing research on these health issues and more, HABRI Central serves as an online comprehensive bibliography and repository of scholarly material and a platform for peer-reviewed content for those involved in human-animal bond studies. Managed by Purdue University, this centralized research and resources are available at www.habricentral.org.

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation (HABRI) is a national, non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting the positive role animals play in the health and well being of people, families and communities. HABRI, in partnership with Purdue University, has also created a comprehensive online research center, HABRI Central. HABRI Central serves as a comprehensive bibliography and repository of scholarly material, an online publishing platform for peer-reviewed content, and a virtual collaborative community for those involved in human-animal studies. Dr. Alan Beck, Director of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine’s Center for the Human-Animal Bond and Charles Watkinson, Director of Purdue University Press, oversees the development of the project. An editorial board of internationally acclaimed experts in the field guides content development to ensure that it remains relevant to the human-animal studies community.