Debuting at Global Pet Expo, the America’s largest pet industry trade show, HABRI Central (habricentral.org) is the place to go for all data collection, research and collaboration for human-animal bond studies. The online resource is made possible by The Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation (HABRI) in collaboration with the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and Purdue Libraries.

HABRI Central provides researchers, medical practitioners, health and pet-industry professionals and pet owners easy access to 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 studies of the human-animal bond.

Some topics currently featured in the ever-expanding database include how pets affect humans with autism, Alzheimer’s, depression, coronary heart disease and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is also a wealth of information available pertaining to the benefits pets have on the health and well being of people.

“The recent influence of human-animal bond studies has expanded quickly into vast industries and fields, many of which can benefit immensely from learning and knowing more about how the human-animal bond affects us,” said Bob Vetere, APPA and HABRI president. “HABRI Central allows the wider public to join the extensive research community and access existing findings on the subject as well as collaborate and perpetuate new breakthroughs and valuable discussions.”

HABRI Central is built on the HUBzero software platform for scientific collaboration, developed at Purdue University with support from the National Science Foundation. The HUBzero platform is used by more than 30 hubs in a multitude of fields for scientific collaboration and as a research repository.

HABRI Central is overseen by 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 and is managed byChristopher Charles, HABRI Central Project Manger also of Purdue.

The HABRI Central team also includes information scientists and technologists from Purdue University, and Editorial and Management Advisory Boards composed of leading researchers, non-profit and industry leaders.

HABRI Central is the first funded project of the HABRI Foundation, which was formally launched at Global Pet Expo last year. 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.

Founded by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), Petco and Pfizer Animal Health along with support from Steering Committee members and Association Supporters, HABRI works to educate, inform, advocate and support research and funding for human-animal bond related initiatives.

Steering Committee members and Associations Supporters include:

Steering Committee members:
American Humane Association (AHA); American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA); Central Garden and Pet; Hartz; Hill’s Pet Nutrition; Morris Animal Foundation; Natural Balance; PetSmart; Radio Systems Corporation; Segrest Farms, funded by Allan Levey; Sergeants and WellPet.

Association Supporters:
Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC).

About HABRI: Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation (HABRI) is a broad coalition of companies, organizations, entities and individuals whose mission is to achieve formal, widespread scientific recognition that validates and supports the positive roles of pets and animals in the integrated health of families and communities, leading to informed decisions in human health. For more information and to sign up for our newsletter visit habri.org.

The article HABRI Central: The Online Platform for Human-Animal Bond Studies appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The research on the positive impact of human-canine relationships on health is extensive. For nearly 25 years, research had indicated that living with pets can have a positive influence on a person’s health.  Although all pets to some degree improve an individual’s health, dogs in particular have been studied.

Dogs allow improved independence and mobility for the blind.  They are used as service dogs with people that suffer from epilepsy because they are able to detect seizures before they come.  Dogs lower their owner’s blood pressure, significantly reduce anxiety, and boost immunity.

A growing number of studies suggest that children who grow up with animals will have less risk of asthma and allergies.  In a recent study, researcher James E. Gern, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, analyzed the blood of babies immediately after birth and one year later. He was looking for evidence of an allergic reaction, immunity changes, and for reactions to bacteria in the environment.   The results may surprise you.  If a dog lived in the home, infants were less likely to show evidence of pet allergies – 19 percent vs. 33 percent. They also were less likely to have eczema, a common allergy skin condition that causes red patches and itching. In addition, they had higher levels of some immune system chemicals — a sign of stronger immune system activation.

Studies have also shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home.  Walking a dog or just caring for a pet — for elderly people who are able — can provide exercise and companionship.  Elderly that have a pet are less likely to feel depressed and are more likely to have fewer hospital stays than their petless counterparts.

Although, not as studied as some other areas, research also suggests that owning a dog can help prevent diabetes.  According to research by exercise scientist Cindy Lentino, dog owners who regularly walk their dogs had about one-third of the risk of diabetes in comparison to non-dog walkers. Dog owners also had additional signs of good health not seen in the non-dog walking group, like lower rates of depression.

Pet owners are likely to have better mental health than those who don’t own a pet.  In one study, stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did people without pets.

Studies show a link between these stressful chemicals, Cortisol and norepinephrine, and plaque buildup in arteries, the red flag for heart disease, says Blair Justice, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health and author of Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your Health.

Like any enjoyable activity, playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine — nerve transmitters that are known to have pleasurable and calming properties, Justice said.  “People take drugs like heroin and cocaine to raise serotonin and dopamine, but the healthy way to do it is to pet your dog, or hug your spouse, watch sunsets, or get around something beautiful in nature,” says Justice, who recently hiked the Colorado Rockies with his wife and two dogs.

Heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without, according to several studies. Male pet owners have less sign of heart disease — lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels — than non-owners, researchers say.  According to preventive cardiologist Barry Franklin, Ph.D., of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, patients with heart disease who have dogs and walk them have a better prognosis.

The article Dogs’ Positive Impact on Physical and Mental Health appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.