The Human-Animal Bond: It’s in Our DNA
HABRI and Ancestry partnership may lead to new understanding of the health benefits our pets bring us.
The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) announced a new partnership with Ancestry, maker of the Know Your Pet DNA test.
Ancestry empowers journeys of personal discovery. The “global leader in family history” has more than 60 billion records, over 3 million subscribers and over 25 million people who have used Ancestry to gain “a new level of understanding about their lives.”
HABRI’s collaboration with Ancestry will advance scientific research on the bond between people and pets, enhancing our understanding of the profound health benefits that this relationship provides, according to a release.
Ancestry will support HABRI’s ongoing efforts to fund innovative research on the human-animal bond. HABRI has to date funded 57 research projects examining the positive health impacts of the bond for both people and animals including improved mental, physical and social health.
“Ancestry is proud to support HABRI’s mission,” said Caitlyn Bruns, Senior Manager of DNA Strategy at Ancestry. “Ancestry started Know Your Pet DNA because we believe that understanding the genetics and history of our pets not only enriches the lives of animals but also strengthens the connections we share with them.”
In collaboration with Ancestry, HABRI will continue to educate the public about the human-animal bond, creating new opportunities to communicate the far-reaching impact of pets on society and the value of companion animals as a part of healthy lifestyles.
“Scientific research has consistently shown that the human-animal bond plays a vital role in enhancing quality of life,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “Partnering with Ancestry will allow us to further explore how these relationships affect both humans and pets in meaningful ways and provide new insights into how we can strengthen this connection.”
Photo credit: istockphoto.com/lemono
