GREENFIELD, Ind., Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elanco Animal
Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), in
collaboration with Purdue University's
College of Veterinary Medicine, today released preliminary research
findings that support the power of the human-animal bond.
The preliminary study results, which were shared during a
presentation at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) in
Orlando, Fla., show that in
addition to the physical benefits service dogs provide their
owners, they also contribute to emotional and psychosocial
well-being.
This new research on the human-animal bond is part of a
four-year primary research study on the emotional and health
benefits of service dogs to their recipients. The goal of the
three-part study is to produce groundbreaking evidence-based
research documenting the "pet effect" – the impact of the
human-animal bond on mental health and well-being.
"Innovative research is key to protecting both human and animal
health," said Dr. Heidi Hulon,
consulting veterinarian for Elanco. "Elanco understands the
powerful role healthy animals play in making lives better, and this
research has the potential to empower veterinarians and all those
concerned with animal health to enrich the lives of people
worldwide by supporting programs that promote the human-animal
bond."
The research project is led by Maggie
O'Haire, assistant professor of human-animal interaction at
Purdue's College of Veterinary
Medicine. The team also includes Ph.D. candidate Kerri Rodriguez and postdoctoral research fellow
Jess Bibbo. O'Haire also leads
Purdue's Organization for Human-Animal
Interaction Research (OHAIRE),
[https://vet.purdue.edu/chab/ohaire/] which includes national and
international collaborators, students, and community members
working together to conduct rigorous scientific research on the
unique and pervasive effects of interacting with animals.
"Even though the benefits of service dogs for those with
physical disabilities are well-recognized, the emotional and
psychosocial effects are largely unknown," O'Haire said. "There is
a wealth of positive anecdotal information but comparatively few
data-driven scientific measures of how dogs affect their human
companions' sense of well-being. We hope to fulfill the critical
need for additional research on this topic."
Researchers worked with Canine Assistants, a non-profit
organization dedicated to education and placement of service dogs
with children and adults who have physical disabilities or other
special needs. Elanco has been a sponsor of Canine Assistants since
2015.
Research Methodology
The study compared service
dog recipients and their family members with people who are on a
waiting list for service dogs and their families. Study
participants completed an online survey about their emotional and
psychosocial functioning. More than 300 surveys were returned – 187
from those who had received service dogs, and their families and
118 from recipients on the waitlist and their families.
Additionally, the study evaluated the emotional and psychosocial
benefits of the human-animal bond for family members (parents,
caregivers and spouses) of service dog recipients.
Summary of Preliminary Research Findings
Preliminary findings of the study indicate:1
- Recipients of a service dog showed a higher overall quality of
life as well as better emotional, social and work/school
functioning than recipients who had not yet received a service
dog.
- Family members with a service dog in the home exhibited better
social and emotional functioning as well as decreased worry as a
result of the recipient's health than family members on the
waitlist.
- Family members with a service dog also exhibited better
management of daily family activities than family members on the
waitlist.
- No differences were found between the two recipient groups in
three other categories: anger, companionship and sleep
disturbance.
"These preliminary findings are not surprising, but they are
very significant," said O'Haire. "There is a wealth of positive
anecdotal information on this topic, but comparatively few
data-driven scientific measures of how dogs affect their human
companions' sense of well-being. The research is a critical step in
determining if these results are applicable to a broader range of
pet owners."
Additional research is underway continue to confirm the initial
results of this study, and provide the information to
scientifically verify the benefits of the human-animal bond. This
research is considered to be a critical step in providing much
needed scientific evidence as a basis for fostering more serious
attention to human-animal bond dynamics and related issues and
policy concerns.
For more information about Elanco's commitment to celebrating
and supporting the human-animal bond, visit
CelebrateTheBond.com.
About Elanco
Elanco provides comprehensive products
and knowledge services to improve animal health and food-animal
production in more than 70 countries around the world. We value
innovation, both in scientific research and daily operations, and
strive to cultivate a collaborative work environment for more than
6,500 employees worldwide. Together with our customers, we are
committed to raising awareness about global food security, and
celebrating and supporting the human-animal bond. Founded in 1954,
Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Company. Our worldwide
headquarters and research facilities are located in Greenfield, Indiana. Visit us at
Elanco.com.
About Purdue University College
of Veterinary Medicine
The Purdue
University College of Veterinary Medicine seeks to advance
global animal and human health and well-being through excellence in
learning, discovery and engagement. Home to the Veterinary Teaching
Hospital and the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the
college is a major referral center for the diagnosis and treatment
of animal diseases. Faculty research both animal and human health,
with an emphasis on infectious diseases and immunology; cancer;
neuroscience; musculoskeletal biology and orthopedics; and animal
welfare science and the human-animal bond. The college also is one
of only a few nationally that educate all members of the veterinary
team, offering the doctor of veterinary medicine degree as well as
bachelor's and associates degrees in veterinary technology,
post-graduate internships and residencies for veterinarians seeking
specialty training, and graduate degrees in the departments of
Basic Medical Sciences, Comparative Pathobiology, and Veterinary
Clinical Sciences. For more information, visit
www.vet.purdue.edu.
About Canine Assistants
Canine Assistants is a
non-profit service-dog school based in Milton, Georgia whose mission is to educate and
empower people and dogs so they may enhance the lives of one
another. Canine Assistants has graduated over 2,000 service dogs
from the program and has placed them free of charge with both
children and adults. Jennifer Arnold
is the founder of Canine Assistants and the creator of the
Bond-Based Approach® to interspecies relationships and
author of Love is All You Need: The Revolutionary Bond-Based
Approach to Educating Your Dog. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Through a
Dog's Eyes, which was the subject of a PBS documentary, and
In a Dog's Heart.
1 O'Haire, M. E., Rodriguez, K. R., & Bibbo, J.
B. (2016). Study #1 Preliminary Report. Celebrating the Bond: An
Empirical Evaluation of Psychosocial Outcomes for Service Dog
Recipients.
Elanco and the diagonal bar are all trademarks owned or licensed
by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
© 2017 Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or
affiliates.
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SOURCE Elanco