SCAS Funded Projects in 2024
UK Adaptation of the PET@home Toolkit developed in the Netherlands for clients receiving long term care at home and living with pets.
Peter Reniers (Instituut voor Antrozoologie, Netherlands)
Priming Grant: £10,000
Summary: Pets have been shown to have positive outcomes for older adults and clients receiving home care, including improved quality of life, reduced loneliness and emotional support. However, for clients receiving home care, having a pet also presents a number of challenges, such as reliance on family carers to care for the pet, the need to rehome a pet when the clients move to a care home, and professional caregivers who may be afraid of pets. It can be argued that awareness of the benefits and challenges of pet ownership by caregivers could improve long-term home care services. In previous work, we developed the Dutch version of the PET@home Toolkit for home care professionals to support clients receiving long-term home care. The aims of the toolkit are to promote understanding of the important role pets play for clients, to raise awareness of potential challenges associated with pet ownership in home care, to improve communication and planning about pets, and to prioritisehuman and animal welfare. The PET@home Toolkit includes an information booklet, communication and animal welfare leaflets, a care planning checklist and an implementation plan. Use of the Toolkit has the potential to foster lasting relationships between clients receiving long-term home care and their pets, address challenges, improve animal welfare, and enhance the wellbeing of clients with pets, their family members and professional caregivers. To adapt the Toolkit for use in the UK, it will need to be translated into English and tailored to the UK home care environment. Therefore, we will involve experts in home care, animal welfare, clients, and family caregivers in focus groups and/or individual interviews to assess the toolkit materials and gather suggestions for necessary adaptations for use in the UK.
The PET@home Toolkit-UK can then be disseminated in the UK through local partners, such as SCAS. In addition, the Toolkit-UK will be presented at a conference and in a scientific article. Future research can determine the impact of Toolkit implementation on health outcomes and the value of experienced health services for clients with pets.
“My dog is my home”: Enhancing pet acceptance into homelessness accommodation services in the UK for clients receiving long term care at home and living with pets.
Mackenzie Fong (Newcastle University, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £10,000
Summary:
What are the aims of this research?
•To enhance pet-friendly policies of homelessness accommodation services (“hostels”)
•To design a future study looking at the economic costs and benefits of improving pet-policies of hostels.
Background to the research. People experiencing homelessness have a profound bond with their pet. Studies show that pets can reduce loneliness, depression, criminal activity, substance misuse, and even self-harm in this group. In the UK, very few homelessness hostels accept pets. Faced with the decision to accept shelter or give up their pet, most people choose to refuse shelter. Remaining homeless is linked to worsening physical, mental, and social health, which is linked to significant financial costs. To enable more hostels to accept pets, we need to know how pet-friendly policies can be delivered, and the costs and benefits of these policies.
How will we do this research? We will interview 15 staff and 15 residents from different hostels in the UK that have improved their pet-policies with support from charities, Street Vetor Street Paws. We will ask participants about their experience of working and living with pets, challenges to housing pets and how these can be managed, and benefits of housing pets. To inform a future economic study, we will also ask about the impact of pet-friendly policies on residents’ health and wellbeing, and the costs associated with housing pets. We will ask for feedback on surveys and methods that could be used in a future economic study.
How will the public be involved in this research? We will involve in our study a person who has previously experienced homelessness with a pet dog. They will help:
•design our study materials
•recruit study participants
•interview hostel residents
•give their opinion on the findings of our research
Why is this research important? This work has the potential to impact thousands of human and animal lives by promoting pet-friendly policies in hostels. This is needed now more than ever as more people, including those with pets, are likely to become homeless due to the cost-of-living crisis in the UK.
Companion Cats and Dogs in Nepal: A New Frontier.
Michelle Szydlowski (Miami University, USA)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,983
Summary: Pet-keeping and human relations to companion-animal species (cats and dogs) in Nepal are very different from Westernised societies. “Owned” (pet or family) Nepalese dogs are typically allowed to wander freely, live exclusively outside the home, and regularly socialise with larger canine groups. Some dogs are referred to as “shop dogs”, and are allowed to inhabit spaces proximate to restaurants, butchers, and dry-goods stores. Many “unowned” dogs are fed or cared for by local community members, who contact animal-based NGOs only when medical intervention is needed. National NGOs provide adoption events, TNVRM programs, and emergency care (local vets work only with livestock, not companion animals). Prior to 2014, domestic cats (Felis catus) were rarely seen in Nepalese cities or villages. However, in the last decade, cats have begun to appear around agricultural land, shops, and in protected areas such as within the boundaries of national parks.
Chitwan and Bardia National Parks are two of these parks and are surrounded by small municipalities and rural villages. In these villages reside numerous livestock species, captive wildlife, free-living (owned and unowned) dogs, and more recently, cats. This project will explore the nature of the human-pet bond within this cultural context, focusing on potential risks and benefits to human and companion-animal (cat and dog) health and wellbeing. Working primarily with Nepalese residents and NGOs, this project seeks to identify how veterinary and social provision can support that bond.
An In-Depth Exploration into the Complex Interplay between the Human-Animal Bond, Perinatal Mental Health, and Companion Animal Welfare.
Roxanne Hawkins (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £10,000
Summary: Perinatal mental ill-health is a significant public health concern with new parents displaying heightened susceptibility to mental health difficulties during this life period. Pets may offer an important sense of comfort and support and thus act as a protective factor against the development of mental health difficulties during this life stage. Pets may also, however, worsen caregiver wellbeing through reduced human-pet bond, changes in pet behaviour(e.g., increased avoidance), unsafe pet-baby interactions, and increased caregiver burden. Pets are also likely to be impacted by changes (e.g., attitudes and priorities) within the perinatal period, increasing risk for compromised pet welfare and relinquishment. By taking a One Health, One Welfare approach, and through in-depth qualitative research methodologies (interviews with mothers), this study aims to identify important risk and protective factors for both maternal and pet wellbeing in the perinatal period, and importantly, to identify gaps in support needs and produce guidance and recommendations that will aid the development of future intervention and support resources for pet-owning new parents. This project will also produce findings that will lay important groundwork in which future human-animal studies within the perinatal period can be built, addressing a major gap in the field. Engagement with relevant stakeholder groups and public involvement (an advisory group) will ensure the study’s relevance, validity, and applicability to the communities it aims to serve, will ensure meaningful impact, and will aid the development of recommendations for relevant groups based on the study findings. Such future resources and interventions will be important for not only improving pet wellbeing amidst a time of change, and potentially reduce relinquishment, but also for putting protective and mitigating measures in place to support perinatal mental health and to ensure positive and safe baby-pet interactions.
One Less Barrier: Providing Fear-Free Dog Training to Intimate Partner Violence Survivors and Their Dogs to Strengthen the Human-Dog Bond.
Kristin Snopkowski (Boise State University, USA)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,975
Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a critical problem facing billions of people worldwide, with approximately nine million American women experiencing IPV in the last twelve months. Companion animals are frequently threatened or harmed by abusers. After leaving an abusive relationship, IPV survivors may experience mental health challenges and companion animals may experience behavioural changes including aggressiveness or timidness. While positive human-dog bonds can improve well-being, the abuse that is experienced in IPV relationships can hinder this bond and reduce the well-being that the human and their companion animal experience from that bond. Little is known about the recovery of IPV victims and their companion animals, representing a big gap in our knowledge. This study will examine the relationship between humans and their companion dogs through an experimental protocol testing the effect of fear-free dog training for victims of IPV on the well-being of people and their companion dogs. There are four main hypotheses that this research will test: 1) dogs who have recently lived in IPV-households will exhibit an insecure-avoidant attachment style, 2) fear-free dog training will improve canine behaviour and welfare, 3) fear-free dog training will improve the relationship between the dog and the IPV survivor and 4) fear-free dog training will improve the well-being of the IPV survivor through the improved relationship with their canine companion. Forty IPV survivors and their companion dogs will be recruited to engage in one of two conditions: the experimental condition that engages the IPV survivor and the companion dog in fear-free dog training over a four-week course and a control condition. An advisory board including members from the humane society, women’s shelter, and expert academics will provide guidance and feedback throughout the study. One aim of this project is to disseminate findings in both academic and non-academic settings, including a peer-review journal article, international conference presentation, policy briefs distributed to potential beneficiaries, and op-eds. The completion of this research will advance the understanding of the relationship between IPV survivors and their companion dogs and if hypotheses are supported, will provide a mechanism to restore and repair the human-animal bond after abuse.
Student, Faculty, and Handler’s Attitudes Toward In-Training Service Dogs in Classrooms.
Lindsey Person, Student Project: £1,180
Faculty mentor: Greg Elvers (University of Dayton, USA)
Summary: The partnership between service dogs and people with disabilities provides important social, psychological, and physical benefits.
The early training of service dogs involves learning the basic commands, such as sit and stay, and exposing the dogs to many different people and situations. Some universities partner with service dog training organizations to perform the early training. Such training involves bringing the service dogs in-training into classrooms. Having dogs that are not fully trained in classrooms could be disruptive for reasons such as allergies, religious beliefs, fear, and distraction. Having dogs in a classroom can also improve the mood of and reduce the stress of students and instructors. This study will use a diverse and inclusive sample to investigate the instructor’s, students’, and dog handler’s attitudes toward having the service dog in-training in the classroom. Perceived stressors for the service dogs in-training will be measured. Best practices for mitigating any issues that are found will be created.
SCAS Funded Projects in 2022
Therapeutic Companionship: Canine Companionship and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
Danielle Stephens-Lewis (University of Gloucester, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,924
Summary: Canine companionship has been found to benefit human physical health, as well as alleviate anxiety and depression. Such benefits are also echoed among individuals with long term conditions, with reports of better pain management among those with canine companionship. However, results are inconsistent with level of bonding, human characteristics and perceived appropriate canine behaviour seemingly impacting such benefits.
Nonetheless, one particular condition where such companionship may prove beneficial is Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Considered a rare condition with an array of symptomology, EDS currently has no clear treatment or cure. As such, pain and psychological management are key targets for long-term management. Subsequently, this research project proposed two studies in aim of considering the impact of canine companionship on the health outcomes of those diagnosed with EDS. A quantitative survey will assess multiple aspects of human health and wellbeing, across those who do and do not have canine companions. Additionally, individual characteristics, attachment type and perceived canine behaviours will also be assessed. This will be followed by interviews with participants diagnosed with EDS as well as having a canine companion for a minimum of a year. Interviews will be completed in exploring the benefits and challenges associated with living with the condition, and how canine companionship may have impacted this.
In addition to providing further insight into the underexplored area of human-canine bonding, completion of this research will enable the identification of possibilities for intervention in the management of physical and psychological health outcomes, whilst providing more nuanced understanding of the impact of canine companionship and behaviour on human health and wellbeing, and canine welfare.
No pets! Young people’s transitions to campus living and the importance of the human-animal bond for mental health and wellbeing
Daniel Allen (Keele University, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,990.40
Summary: It has been well documented that there is a mental health crisis among university students in the UK. However, there has been significantly less progress in addressing this issue. This project will consider how interaction with companion animals can provide a pathway for improving student mental health and wellbeing, using Keele University as a case study.
Pandemic Pals? Exploring the impact of puppy acquisition during the COVID-19 Pandemic upon the mental wellbeing of families with children
Rowena Packer (Royal Veterinary College, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,896
Summary: The COVID-19 Pandemic has had profound, negative impacts upon human mental health, with effects upon adults and children/adolescents well documented globally. A strong media focus on the potential benefits of dogs to human mental health during the Pandemic is thought to have contributed to the ‘Pandemic Puppy’ phenomenon, an international surge in puppy acquisition. Since 2020, the ‘Pandemic Puppies’ research team at RVC have studied a large cohort of UK owners who purchased a puppy aged <16 weeks from a breeder during the Pandemic. We discovered that Pandemic Puppy owners were significantly more likely to acquire a puppy with the aim of improving their/their family’s mental health, to provide companionship for their children, and were significantly more likely to have children in their households, compared with ‘pre-pandemic’ 2019 puppy-purchasers. Existing evidence suggests that dog acquisition results in reductions in loneliness for owners within three months of acquisition, but to date, no published studies have explored the short or long-term effects of puppy acquisition specifically during the Pandemic on child or adult mental health. In addition, the outcomes of puppy acquisitions explicitly aimed at improving companionship and mental health for children and their families during the Pandemic are not yet known, for both owners (e.g. changes in mental health status), dogs (e.g. homing status) or both members of these dyads (e.g. the dog-owner relationship). We therefore propose to conduct a mixed-methods study on the impact of ‘Pandemic Puppy’ acquisition during the 2020-21 phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the mental health of families with children in the UK, compared to households with existing dogs acquired in 2019, recruited from the existing ‘Pandemic Puppies’ study population (>8000 owners in total). An online survey exploring (i) mental wellbeing of children/adolescents, (ii) dog-child relationships, and (iii) expectations vs. realities of dog ownership will be created using closed and open-text questions to facilitate mixed methods analysis, including advanced statistical modelling of predictors of (i) and (ii) and reflexive thematic analysis of text-based responses to (iii). Results will be disseminated via a wide network of animal behaviourists, veterinary surgeons, rehoming organisations, and HAI researchers.
Pet ownership among young people: associations with mental health, self-harm and other risk behaviours
Emily Vicary (University of Manchester, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,995
Background: Self-harm is considered to be an indicator of extreme distress or a manifestation of a mental illness. Young people, aged 16-24, are thought to be the most at risk for engaging in repeated self-harm behaviours such as cutting the skin, breaking bones and ingesting toxic substances. Previous research highlights the benefits of informal support in the management of self-harm habits, specifically high-quality social networks decrease the risk of repeated self-injury. Pets are generally an overlooked facet within these support networks. A recent study highlighted how pets can increase personal pleasure, prevent suicide attempts and reduce the urge to engage in self-harm for adults with diagnosed mental health conditions. However, only less than 5% of this sample was comprised of young people, meaning the true impact of pets on the management of mental health conditions and self-harm remains uncertain in young people.
Aim: To develop an understanding of the relationships young people have with their pets and how these relationships can help with the management of mental illness as well as reduce self-harm.
Design: We will work with young people to develop an understanding of how they experience mental health and self-harm and whether or not this is impacted by pet ownership. We will use online surveys and in-person interviews to collect this information.
PPI: A young person with mental health problems will assist in interpreting the data from the study. We will also invite 3 young people with experience of mental health difficulties and self-harm to join an advisory group to guide the research.
Dissemination: Working with the PPI advisory group, we will produce study summaries to raise awareness of how pets can assist young people in the management of mental health conditions and self-harm. To maximise the impact of the study, we will publicise findings via social media and blogs and publish findings in academic journals.
The Human-Animal Bond in Young People’s Self-Management of Mental Health Difficulties
Roxanne Hawkins (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £10,000
Summary: Young adulthood is considered a peak age for the onset of mental health difficulties with approximately 75% of mental health disorders being diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Anxiety and depression are the most common, and the problems that emerge in young adulthood can persist long-term over the life course. Methods of prevention or successful self-management of symptoms are therefore important to identify. The Mental Health Foundation now recommends pets as a source of improving mental health, yet very little research has examined the psychological implications of the human-pet bond for young adults from the general population in the United Kingdom. Pets cannot ‘fix’ mental health problems, but they can play an important role in the self-management of mental health and prevent worsening symptoms. This, however, may depend on human-pet attachment type (secure vs insecure), pet type (dogs vs cats), psychological and behavioural compatibility, and the absence of pet behavioural problems. Moreover, a secure human-pet attachment may have mutual benefits, promoting positive human wellbeing, and pet welfare. The current study, therefore, aims to explore these important yet understudied variables (attachment type, pet type, compatibility, pet behaviour and welfare) that may underpin the benefits of pets for depression and anxiety in this young at-risk UK population. This study will use mixed methodologies adopting both quantitative methods (questionnaire with validated psychological measures) and qualitative methods (interviews to explore lived experience) providing a nuanced understanding of the human-pet bond for mental health. This study will provide valuable insight into the value of pets in young people’s lives as well as individual differences in the potential capability of pets to both reduce or exacerbate mental health symptomology in this population. The findings will have relevance for the development and evaluation of mental health interventions and treatment protocols aimed at young adults with depression and anxiety, where pet attachment may prove to be a useful tool for mental health improvement. This study may also identify factors that may lead to negative impacts on mental health and pet welfare that will be important for future prevention and intervention.
Old friends: a preliminary assessment of the implications of current UK care home pet policies for the health and wellbeing of elderly individuals and their companion animals and the obstacles to making more care homes pet-friendly
Samantha Hurn (University of Exeter, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,963
Summary: The relationships between elderly individuals and their companion animals are comparatively under-researched, despite widespread recognition that for many older people, these relationships are essential for alleviating loneliness and providing social support. Yet when an individual ages they often find it difficult to care for their companion animals. If they have to go into residential care, they will often have to relinquish their pets. Existing research (McNicholas 2008) found that 60% of UK care homes required residents to relinquish their pets, while those deemed ‘pet friendly’ often excluded cats and dogs. Recommendations arising from this previous research included promoting awareness of the importance of pets to older people, and conducting appropriate assessments of the risks associated with pets in care homes to inform policy.
In 2020 The Blue Cross issued a call for UK care homes to have more transparent pet policies. This call was in recognition of the negative impacts on elderly individuals unable to make informed decisions regarding residential care and the possible options for relocating with their pets. In response to the Blue Cross call and recommendations from previous research in this area, the project ‘Old Friends’ will conduct a preliminary survey of UK care home policies, to assess changes in this sector in the years since the 2008 research was completed. Researchers will also generate new data, interviewing care home staff and managers to assess their perceptions of risks versus benefits of allowing residents to be accompanied by their pets. Finally, because all research conducted to date has focussed on human experiences, the team will also conduct surveys and interviews with staff at relevant animal welfare NGOs (e.g. Cinnamon Trust) who take in companion animals relinquished due to care home pet policies, as well as ethological observations of companion animals living with their humans in care home settings, plus those who have been relinquished. The stories of a sample of relinquished animals and their former owners, as well as those who have been able to stay together in a care home context will be documented and compared.
Recognizing pet personality impacts on human pain management
Janette Young (University of South Australia)
Grant to support open access publishing: £1,500
Summary: This application is to support funding of the submission of a student Honours research project investigating the role of pets in the management of chronic pain to a planned peer reviewed special edition entitled “Reconceiving (WHO) Health Promotion to encompass Human-Animal Relationships” in an invited special edition of an Open Access Journal.*
This research explored the potential of pets as a complimentary pain management strategy for chronic pain sufferers. A mixed methods study, involving semi-structured interviews informed the development of a survey. Both sought to deeply explore the mechanisms by which pets influence chronic pain experiences. The research confirmed findings from other research on the roles of pets but also offered novel insights. In particular the connections between perceived pet personality and pain experiences were revealed with characteristics of extraversion and agreeableness in pets being linked to more positive pain outcomes.
For people who experience chronic pain, pet ownership may be therapeutic, however careful thought as to the needs and personalities of animals engaged with is needed. For health professionals, and people with pain themselves, simply “prescribing pets” for pain management overlooks the subjective complexity of both pain and human-animal relationships. Health promotion messages in the pain field can begin to draw on these more nuanced understandings facilitating better quality of life for both humans and animals.
The initial marked and assessed student paper will be updated and targeted more specifically to the focus of the special edition.
SCAS Funded Projects in 2021
Landlords’ perspectives about pet-friendly properties in the UK
Luciana Santos de Assis (University of Lincoln, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9958
Summary: The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the current “Housing crisis” in the United Kingdom, i.e. lack of affordable housing to buy. Nonetheless, the number of people owning a companion animal has also increased during the pandemic and ownership at this time brings several mental and physical health benefits to humans. However, only around 8% of rental properties across UK cities are pet-friendly and the quality of these tends to be lower. Consequently, many people are obliged to choose between their companion animals and the quality of where they live.
It is, therefore, important to identify and better understand the reasons why landlords opt for not accepting companion animals in their rental properties and the possible solutions to this in the UK. Qualitative research methods allow the exploration of the richness and interrelations of a topic and are important for gaining deeper insights into complex issues such as this. Therefore, this study will use interviews to apply a qualitative approach to investigate landlords’ perceptions of owning rental properties that are either pet-friendly or not. It will, therefore, identify: the main concerns of landlords about allowing pets to live in their rental properties; the real issues of having a pet-friendly rental property, i.e. type of damage, costs and how much work landlords had to repair them; and alternatives that would be suitable for landlords in order to alleviate/solve their concerns about pets living in their rental properties. Responses will be grouped into themes to explore the breadth of feelings, experience, and concerns about allowing pets to live in their rental properties. In addition, they will also be asked about whether any regulations or precautions would or do help reduce their concerns. Educational material will be developed in order to facilitate the dissemination of this result and will be available in a dedicated website to a broader audience (e.g. SCAS), focusing on landlords, similar to the approach taken by the Pets and Housing Resources (Michelson Found Animals Foundation) in the USA which share similar issues. These are essential to guide both preventive programs and regulations concerning this subject.
Understanding property managers: The benefits and risks of allowing pets in rental units in urban areas in the US and UK
Ross Barker (OSU Policy Analysis Laboratory, Oregon State University, USA)
Pump Priming Grant: £9,981
Summary: Pets are reshaping human lifestyles in countries around the world. More people than ever include pets as part of their family. Organizations including the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) and the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) have conducted research into human-companion animal interactions and raised awareness of the importance and value of pets in families. Yet the shortage of suitable and affordable housing for families with pets presents a significant challenge to many within our communities. The lack of pet-friendly rental units leaves many families (often low-income and/or minorities) unable to obtain the benefits offered by pets. Developing a better understanding of the barriers these pet owners face is an important step toward finding solutions.
The purpose of this project is to explore the perspectives of property managers, landlords, and housing staff about pet-friendly practices and policies, starting with the research question: How do property managers view pet-friendly housing? Among other topics, the research will focus on understanding the perceived benefits and risks associated with renting units to pet owners, with particular emphasis on the barriers pet-owning families face when searching for housing. Deepening our understanding of the perspectives and concerns of this gatekeeper group can inform interventions designed to build bridges between where we are in terms of pet-friendly housing and where we want to be.
The proposed qualitative research will consist of forty interviews with property managers, landlords and other housing associates who make decisions about rental of the units they oversee. These interviews will be conducted in large and midsize cities in the US and the UK. After the interviews are completed, a written report will be created which will include a summarization of the findings, implications for the field, and recommendations regarding policy actions and future research. The research team will disseminate short and long versions of a final report through various written and online channels, targeting organizations with the ability to implement change (e.g., professional associations representing housings managers, non-profits working in pet advocacy and community development).
Exploring Barriers to Housing Security for Pet Owners in Affordable Housing Properties in Houston, Texas, USA
Kevin Morris (University of Denver, Colorado, USA)
Pump Priming Grant: £10,000
Summary: Housing insecurity (e.g., eviction, rental restrictions, moving) is one of the most common reasons for companion animal relinquishment in U.S. animal shelters. These rates of relinquishment are driven by a growing deficit of affordable and pet-friendly rental units. In this study, qualitative interviews will be conducted with tenants from a variety of affordable housing units in Houston, TX, USA, including low-income housing tax credit developments, public housing properties, and those using housing choice vouchers. The purpose of this study is to document the barriers to finding and maintaining pet-friendly affordable housing in Houston, explore the impacts of housing insecurity on the relationship between people and companion animals, and to understand the potential impact of pet-friendly policies on community-wide health. Data from this study can be used to develop programs to address housing insecurity and to inform future policymaking. Findings from this study will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed academic journal and through a townhall presentation for all stakeholders and community members who participate in the study.
Challenging pet un-friendly accommodation: an exploration of negotiating multispecies rental accommodation
Zoei Sutton (Flinders University, Australia)
Pump Priming Grant: £9889
Summary: This project qualitatively explores how stakeholders (landlords, advocates, housing providers and other frontline workers) and tenants negotiate and experience pet-friendly housing in order to inform better pet-friendly housing policies and practices. The chosen research site (South Australia) is governed by ‘pet un-friendly’ policy, which sees landlords and other housing providers largely able to reject multispecies families without consequence. The partner organisation on this project has been working on the frontlines of assisting tenants with animal companions to secure housing through advocacy, mediation, application support and facilitating stakeholder-tenant negotiations. The proposed project, then, is well-placed to inform understandings of both the lived experience and successful challenging of negotiating rental accommodation by and for multispecies families. The proposed research has three main objectives:
To understand how landlords, housing providers and other stakeholders negotiate pet friendly housing, including the challenges and facilitators of providing pet-friendly housing.
To understand how tenants with pets experience the processes of finding and occupying accommodation, including the challenges, benefits and impacts on human-animal relationships that occur as a result of this.
To explore potential improvements to policy and practice that would better support the effective housing of tenants with pets, including risk mitigation for stakeholders and January 2021 negotiation of tenancy arrangements.
Pet-rental scholarship is currently an underexplored area. The proposed project, bolstered by its ties to the uniquely situated partner organisation, will contribute much needed research on the challenges and facilitators of navigating pet-friendly accommodation in a pet-restrictive regulatory context.
Changing homes, changing housing, changing relationships: Pets and care experienced children and young people
Jo Williams (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Pump Priming Grant: £9928
Summary: Children who are care experienced or leaving care have often experienced different ‘home’ and ‘housing’ contexts as their living circumstances change. This shifting pattern of home and housing and the impact it has on relationships puts care experienced children and young people at heightened risk of mental health difficulties. For many care-experienced young people, lack of trust in people, borne out of experience of relationship challenges and changes, is an obstacle to maintaining relationship with other people, including alternative caregivers. Pets may play an essential role in providing comfort and emotional support for these children and young people. The bonds they form with animals may enable them to build trust and facilitate human relationships. A recent citizen science project by Scottish care leavers on pets organised by STAF revealed that many care experienced children have formed extremely strong bonds or emotional attachments to pets, but also experienced separation from pets that has led to psychological distress. As young people leave care the desire to own pets is high, but housing concerns and pet care challenges can pose significant barriers to young people being able to offer appropriate pet care.
SCAS Funded Projects in 2020
A framework for understanding the impact of dog ownership and its related activities on the mental health of autistic adults
Ana Maria Barcelos (University of Lincoln, UK)
Pump Priming Grant
Summary: Mental health problems occur in 25% of the UK adult population and 80% of autistic individuals. Dog ownership has been associated with several psychological benefits, particularly decrease in anxiety and depression, two of the most common mental health problems affecting individuals on the autism spectrum. The mechanisms responsible for these improvements in dog owners are still not clear, but there are suggestions that specific dog human related activities play a major role on this, e.g. walking and petting the dog. Dog ownership per se is not a very reliable indicator of better mental health, since dog owners are engaged in different type of activities.
The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive framework of the activities performed by adult autistic dog owners with their dogs which lead to specific well-being outcomes as perceived by these individuals. Due to the descriptive breadth of this investigation and its uniqueness, qualitative research methods will be used to describe the theoretical framework for future quantitative hypothesis testing. Autistic dog owners from the UK will be invited to take part in audio recorded focus group sessions (group discussions to gather information about a topic). The sessions will be conducted at the University of Lincoln by the main researcher, who has extensive experience in qualitative research. Based on our previous experience, six sessions with four to six participants each will be necessary to identify the full range of activities involved and their perceived effects. Transcriptions of the audio records will be organised in themes and coded using recognised methods to generate a list of activities and their impact on the mental health of autistic adults. This framework will be of great importance for developing and recommending dog-assisted interventions, that can be used therapeutically for this group.
Outcomes will include open access scientific publication of the results and the development of a web-based resource of the key findings and recommendations through the University’s Autism Research Innovation Centre.
Read the published paper here.
SAFE – Safe Animal Friendly Eldercare. Developing a comprehensive multi-species risk management tool to enable people to bring their companion animals into high needs residential aged care
Dr Janette Young (University of South Australia)
Pump Priming Grant
Summary: This research aims to develop a multi-species (eg dogs, cats, birds, small mammals) risk management framework for use in communal residential aged care settings. The framework will map the diverse range of pet animals, risks, and risk mitigation actions that can enable humans and animals to be safe in these settings. The aim is to maximise the chance of people entering aged care keeping their pets and thereby enhance wellbeing of older people at an extremely stressful life stage and reduce the number of older person’s pets who become homeless or may even be euthanised when their human companion is no longer able to live independently.
While the evidence that pets are crucial in the lives of many older people is growing, there is a gap in recognising and responding to this reality. In particular few aged care residences, especially for frail elders in need of high level care, accommodate these relationships. This is commonly due to fears of contamination, cross-species infection and consequent litigation should anyone (human or animal) be adversely affected. However there are a range of other risk factors (eg staff and other resident’s fears, allergies, risks to animals) that need to be considered and planned for.
The research will use the Delphi technique of multiple rounds of consultation with subject experts (ageing, aged care, animals) to identify the key risks and their remediations. This will support aged care residences to safely incorporate older persons And their loved companion animals at a time when both need each other. A small reference group of older people, aged care providers and human and animal research academics will identify and support key subject experts across ageing and multi-species expertise, and maximise strategic dissemination of the final research output via professional, organisational and other forums and online postings.
While this research has a focus on companion animals/personal pets of older people the understandings developed will also be of use more broadly and able to encompass communal, visiting and other companion animals in residential aged care.
RESEARCH PUBLICATION: The Safe Animal Friendly Environments (SAFE) Tool
Through 2020 and 2021 an Australian team of human and animal experts, academics, researchers, community consultants and veterinarians worked together to develop the Safe Animal Friendly Environments (SAFE) tool. This is a risk management tool aimed at supporting the safe inclusion of personal pets (that is, those that people have pre-residential relationships with) in communal residential aged care.
The framework enables users to assess the risks that both humans and animals may encounter in these settings. It encompasses the major species groups kept as pets: dogs, cats, birds, fish, small mammals). The level and impact of these risks and methods to reduce them to acceptable levels is detailed. Very few risks are unmanageable and SAFE offers the opportunity to carefully explore the potential for co-residence when this is desired or appropriate for both human and animal members of these relationships.
Exploring the use of animal assisted interventions in educational settings: A mixed method approach
Dr Lauren Finka (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
Pump Priming Grant
Summary: This project will investigate the current use of animal assisted interventions (AAI) in schools within the UK, assessing their uptake, implementation and impact on the experiences of both children and dogs. Using a multi-disciplinary, mixed methods approach, this project combines the expertise of a companion animal welfare scientist and human-developmental psychologist specialising in children’s literacy.
The use of AAI in educational settings are increasing in their popularity. In the UK, schemes such as Read2Dogs are used in schools to support children who have behavioural and emotional difficulties, as well as to improve general learning and literacy. Whilst schools report anecdotally the benefits of these schemes to their pupils, there is yet a quality evidence-base to support these assumptions. Most importantly, there is also a lack of clear evidence-based frameworks to guide their safe and effective implementation. Additionally, the emphasis on these schemes is their benefit to children, with little formal consideration given to their impact on dogs involved in these sessions, or how to protect the wellbeing of both parties during interactions.
In order to understand current AAI activity in schools, an online survey will be distributed nationally to UK schools. Ten schools will then be selected from the survey for more in-depth qualitative work, which will include conducting small focus groups with relevant teaching staff, as well as direct observations of AAI sessions. These data will then be used to:
Determine current AAI uptake and their types, as well as identify potential barriers where no AAI are used.
Assess current teacher perceptions of the impact of AAI on children’s mental wellbeing, learning and literacy.
Assess how AAI sessions are practically managed, considering both child and animal parties, and focusing on the positive impacts on the child’s and dog’s enjoyment, as well as potential risks.
These investigations will advance our understanding of the current use, perceptions of and structure of AAI sessions, and how children and dogs are being managed within them. This will then help to design future guidance on responsible and effective use of AAI programmes in schools, and could be incorporated within the AAI SCACS Code of Practice for the UK.
Physiological assessment of the effects of human-animal interaction on social anxiety in adolescence
Dr. Megan Mueller (Tufts University, USA)
Pump Priming Grant
Summary: Social anxiety disorder is the most prevalent anxiety disorder in the United States and can have significant negative consequences for mental health and well-being. Adolescence is a particularly critical period for the onset of social anxiety, as it is a period of social transitions and stressors. Therefore, it is important to identify protective factors within the environment that can prevent and/or reduce the effects of social anxiety disorder in addition to existing evidence-based treatments. An increasing body of research is finding that relationships with pets, or human-animal interaction (HAI), can be a particularly effective method of reducing anxiety. Pets can be an important source of social and emotional support for adolescents, and these relationships may contribute to resiliency during social stress. Recent research has demonstrated that the presence of a pet dog reduces the effects of acute social stressors for youth. Furthermore, attachment to a pet can serve as an emotional buffer during times of stress and is associated with the utilization of adaptive social coping skills in adolescence. These studies support our hypothesis that leveraging a relationship with a pet will be an effective therapeutic intervention for social anxiety in adolescents.
However, despite the promise for HAI as a method of addressing social anxiety, there is a lack of research measuring the specific psychophysiological effects of interacting with a pet on social anxiety for youth. This study aims to test the feasibility of a methodology for assessing physiological responses to pet interactions in real-life scenarios, using a wearable wristband device. The results from this study will provide previously unavailable data on the physiological effects of interacting with an animal on physiological responses in the context of social anxiety. This project will lay the groundwork for future longitudinal multi-method research focused on understanding how pet ownership may be a particularly cost-effective strategy for supporting resiliency for youth with social anxiety.
How best to say goodbye? Exploring new ways of enfranchising childhood experiences of grief following the loss of nonhuman life or the termination of a nonhuman supportive relationship
Professor Samantha Hurn (University of Exeter, UK)
Pump Priming Grant
Summary: Companion animals are widely regarded as family members in much of the developed world. However, while grief following the death or loss of human family members is socially acknowledged and validated, grief following the loss of companion animals is not always recognised in the same way and may even be trivialised. Such cases constitute what psychologists term ‘disenfranchised grief’. When grief is disenfranchised, the bereaved are more likely to experience prolonged, damaging psychological distress. Because children are often closely bonded with companion or support animals, they will likely experience significant distress following the deaths of their nonhuman friends or the termination of a support relationship. Existing research on pet keeping suggests that caring for companion animals teaches children vital skills including empathy and responsibility. It is also through the loss of companion animals that many children learn about death. However, like companion animals, children are legal dependants. While they may help with caring for pets in life, children are seldom included in decision-making processes around end of life care for pets. In many contexts they will be actively shielded from the reality of a companion animal’s ailing health or imminent demise, and may only become aware of their pet’s death after the event.
The proposed project builds on existing research which recognises that supporting and validating the bereaved in the run up to, during and following the loss of life or the end of a supportive relationship can improve their mental health and wellbeing. Little existing research has considered children as disenfranchised grievers following pet or support animal loss, and the impact of that loss on their mental wellbeing. The project therefore aims to i) explore experiences of a sample of children who have lost a nonhuman companion or support animal; ii) ascertain when, how and why/why not children are involved in end of life or relationship discussions, decision making and/or care practices (including euthanasia); iii) how they and their carers perceive their experiences have impacted on their wellbeing; and iv) whether or not additional or alternative measures might benefit them or other children in similar situations in the future.
A systematic review examining current evidence on the effects of assistance dogs on psychosocial health and wellbeing
Dr Kerri Rodriguez (Purdue University, USA)
Grant to support open access publishing