Addressing Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interaction

Overview

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) is issuing a call for research proposals from institutions and organizations across the globe to investigate the health outcomes of pet ownership and/or animal-assisted interventions (AAI), both for the people and the animals involved. Proposals should have a strong theoretical framework and focus on innovative approaches to studying the positive effects of companion animals on human health.

HABRI is interested in funding a wide range of studies focused on the human-animal bond.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Studies investigating the vital role of pet ownership for the health and well-being of people, pets, and communities.
• Broadly generalizable human-animal bond studies impacting large populations in the categories of child health and development, healthy aging, mental health, and physical health.
• The human health impacts of animal-assisted interventions, including in professional practice, volunteer programs, and educational contexts, and research that refines or informs best practices to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the humans and animals involved.
• Studies that are translational in that at least one aim is to produce actionable advice, guidelines, and recommendations for policymakers as it relates to supporting pet owners, the human-animal bond and/or human-animal interactions.
• Studies that are translational in that at least one aim is to produce actionable advice, guidelines, and recommendations for veterinarians and other pet care professionals, pet owners and/or those interested in acquiring a pet.
• Studies with clinical implications for human health practitioners or studies with at least one aim to produce actionable advice, guidelines, and recommendations for human health practitioners working with and/or supporting pet owners, the human-animal bond and/or animal-assisted interventions.
• How companion animal ownership and/or interaction helps address those impacted by public health and social crises, such as generalized anxiety and stress; social isolation and loneliness; suicide, addiction, and substance abuse; access to social service; trauma and/or post-traumatic stress; obesity and physical activity; and cardiovascular health.
• The role of pets in supporting the health and wellbeing of people from diverse backgrounds or underrepresented or minoritized populations.
• The role of the human-animal bond in veterinary medicine, including its impact on access to care, compliance and quality of care, and veterinary team wellbeing. Studies that explore the role of veterinarians and animal health professionals in human-animal bond research are also of interest.
• The bond between humans and a wide variety of pet species which may include (but are not limited to) dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, small mammals, horses and fish.
• International perspectives of the human-animal bond, investigating the health outcomes of pet ownership and/or AAI in countries, communities, and cultures, including those that are under-represented in current literature.

Evaluation will be based on rigor of study design and methods, potential for significant impact on future practices related to the understanding or treatment of mental and physical health conditions, capabilities of investigators, adequacy of facilities, cost-effective yet realistic budget, and for potential contribution to the scientific field of human-animal interaction (HAI), and relevance to HABRI’s mission.

Additional Funding Through Pet Partners
Pet Partners, the leading therapy animal organization in the United States, is partnering with HABRI with the mission of improving human health and well-being through the power of the human-animal bond. This partnership allows for additional funding for research to investigate the health, education, and wellness outcomes of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), both for the people and animals involved. Proposals focusing within these broad categories are specifically encouraged:

• Determining best practices for effective AAI. For example, dosage, handler training, treatment protocols, etc.
• Studies that support the empirical appreciation for how therapy animal welfare can be protected and enhanced.
• The study of AAI in professional environments: AAT, AAE, etc.
• Investigations focusing on AAI with the non-canine species that are currently underrepresented in the literature.
• Studies involving virtual adaptation of AAI and other animal-related engagement
• Cross-cultural experiences of the human-animal bond.
• Studies focused on the impact of AAI on populations not currently represented in the literature. For example, AAI with diverse demographic, social economic, or population-based groups.

HABRI allows up to two applications per principal investigator during a single call for proposals. There is no limit to how many times someone can apply as co-PI.

Award: While there is no budget cap, HABRI awards an average of 5-6 projects each year with project costs averaging approximately $50,000 per project and an average duration of about 20 months. 
See above information regarding Additional Funding Through Pet Partners.

A sample application of a previously funded project, Sections I – XI only, can be found here. Please be aware that the HABRI proposal guidelines have been updated since this application was made.

For a full list of FAQs, click here. 

For more information about HABRI, including currently funded research projects, please visit www.habri.org.

Note: This year, in addition to this Annual RFP, HABRI is issuing a special call for proposals seeking rigorously designed, impact-driven research focused on addressing the complex issue of pet-inclusive rental housing. For more information, see the 2026 Special Request for Proposals – Pet-Inclusive Rental Housing.