Article

“Their Pets Are Loved Members of Their Family”: Animal Ownership, Food Insecurity, and the Value of Having Pet Food Available in Food Banks

Taylor & Francis
Anthrozoös
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Abstract

National estimates of household food security fail to take into account the animals in the household, and studies conducted by animal welfare, veterinary, and pet product associations have not estimated the extent to which pets experience food insecurity. Yet the proliferation of dedicated pet food pantries and the addition of pet food to existing food banks suggest that many pet owners are challenged to keep food on the table and in the food bowl. This descriptive study evaluated the pet food distribution program “Chow Wagon” by surveying the staff of participating food pantries and banks. The respondents provided their perception of the value of having pet food available in their food banks, as well as what additional animal services were needed. In addition, the study utilized Geographic Mapping Information (GIS) with United States Census data on poverty to assess the greater community need. The survey was mailed to 29 Chow Wagon participating food banks and 19 respondents completed a survey for a 61% response rate. According to the respondents, pet food availability in the food bank was highly valued by the clients, and when they did not have pet food, approximately three-fourths believed that their clients were likely to share human food with their pets. The findings were inconclusive about whether having pet food available prevents owners from surrendering their animals. Finally, GIS mapping of the region to identify areas of high poverty with limited access to pet food in pantries suggests further expansion of the pet food service into suburban and rural parts of Western Pennsylvania. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between animal and human food insecurity as well as the wellbeing and mental and physical health benefits afforded by pet ownership for low-income owners.

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... At the convergence of population aging and pet-ownership, community stakeholders are well-positioned to support older adults' relationships with companion animals through age-related transitions in health and living arrangements. However, relatively little scholarly work has been written about health promoting opportunities that can be addressed by community-based programs that target human-animal relationships for older adults [exceptions include Rauktis et al. (2017); Toohey et al. (2017), and Cryer et al. (2021)]. Such programs are positioned to have positive impacts that also cross species lines, as they aim to simultaneously support both human health and well-being and animal welfare. ...
... Such policy efforts aim to enable older adults to lead meaningful and healthy lives while remaining in their communities for as long as possible (Menec et al., 2011). Yet few initiatives to promote age-friendly communities or support aging-in-place recognize (i) people's desire to continue to have pets later in life, as is confirmed in the literature [see for example McNicholas (2014) and Bibbo et al. (2019)], and (ii) the health-promoting potential of human-animal relationships from a wider public health perspective [see for example Toohey et al. (2013); Rauktis et al. (2017), Toohey et al. (2017, and Toohey and Rock (2019)]. Our failure to consider the individual and systemic barriers that older adults may face when it comes to caring for their pets later in life also risks disrupting the health promoting potential of pet keeping (Gee and Mueller, 2019;Obradović et al., 2020). ...
... Older adults living on fixed incomes, such as old-age pensions, may be forced to choose between fulfilling their own needs and those of their pet. Indeed, research has shown that older adults may negotiate challenges and even go to great lengths to maintain their relationship with a companion animal (Rauktis et al., 2017;Toohey and Rock, 2019;Applebaum et al., 2021a). For example, pet-prohibitive rental housing policies may force older adults into unstable housing (Ormerod, 2012;Toohey et al., 2017;Toohey and Rock, 2019;Matsuoka et al., 2020), or see them staying in unsafe situations (Toohey and Rock, 2019). ...
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At the convergence of population aging and pet-ownership, community stakeholders are well-positioned to support older adults’ relationships with companion animals through age-related transitions in health and living arrangements. In this study’s setting, a volunteer-based pet care assistance program launched in 2017 to provide practical assistance with pet care for socially disadvantaged, community-dwelling older adults. This case study explored the impacts and feasibility of this and similar programs via (i) an Internet-based environmental scan to compare similar programs and (ii) qualitative interviews with a sampling of diverse community stakeholders (n = 9). A small number of comparable international programs (n = 16) were found. Among these, programs were delivered using a range of funding models; fewer than half involved collaborations across human social services and animal welfare sectors; and none addressed all dimensions of support offered by our local program. Analysis of qualitative interviews highlighted five major themes confirming the value of the volunteer-based approach and the importance of cross-sectoral collaborations in addressing older adults’ under-recognized pet care-related needs. Taken together, the findings confirmed the effectiveness of our local program model. Collaborative, cross-sectoral programs that target both human and companion animal well-being hold promise to reduce barriers to pet ownership that many disadvantaged older adults face. This unique approach leverages the health-promoting potential of human-animal relationships in ways that enhance quality of life for individuals, animal welfare, and age-friendliness of communities.
... Pets have an important role in society [2] as they contribute positively to mental well-being and are an important contributor to the economy [3][4][5][6][7]. Pets are commonly viewed as family members or as close friends [8,9] and can perform duties as service and emotional support animals, and are often important companions for the elderly, for people with disabilities, people living in social housing, soldiers and veterans, students and people affected by autism, homelessness and unemployment [10][11][12][13][14]. ...
... Following Rauktis et al. (2017) and Arluke (2021), behavioral coping mechanisms include buying low-quality food, bulk food, store brands or offers, or may even induce affected people to use coupons and shop for pet food in several different stores. More extreme behavior involves refraining from purchasing, delaying the payment of invoices, borrowing money, selling possessions and starving to ensure family members and pets have food [9,25]. ...
... Following Rauktis et al. (2017) and Arluke (2021), behavioral coping mechanisms include buying low-quality food, bulk food, store brands or offers, or may even induce affected people to use coupons and shop for pet food in several different stores. More extreme behavior involves refraining from purchasing, delaying the payment of invoices, borrowing money, selling possessions and starving to ensure family members and pets have food [9,25]. ...
Article
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The study provides insights for pet food retailers, vets and managers and volunteers at animal shelters, pet food pantries and food banks into the behavioral changes in feeding and pet food buying resulting from pet food anxiety in Covidian times. This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of pet owner’s perceptions of their pet, their engagement with their pet, sociodemographic factors and the frequency of incidences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample of 206 US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that perceiving the pet as an animal or family/friend, as well as active engagement with the pet, heightens a sense of pet food anxiety. Similarly, past experiences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet impacts pet food anxiety, which leads to changes in pet food shopping and pet feeding behavior. Sociodemographic factors (biological sex, age, income and education) were not found to impact anxiety.
... Pets have an important role in society [2] as they contribute positively to mental well-being and are an important contributor to the economy [3][4][5][6][7]. Pets are commonly viewed as family members or as close friends [8,9] and can perform duties as service and emotional support animals, and are often important companions for the elderly, for people with disabilities, people living in social housing, soldiers and veterans, students and people affected by autism, homelessness and unemployment [10][11][12][13][14]. ...
... Following Rauktis et al. (2017) and Arluke (2021), behavioral coping mechanisms include buying low-quality food, bulk food, store brands or offers, or may even induce affected people to use coupons and shop for pet food in several different stores. More extreme behavior involves refraining from purchasing, delaying the payment of invoices, borrowing money, selling possessions and starving to ensure family members and pets have food [9,25]. ...
... Following Rauktis et al. (2017) and Arluke (2021), behavioral coping mechanisms include buying low-quality food, bulk food, store brands or offers, or may even induce affected people to use coupons and shop for pet food in several different stores. More extreme behavior involves refraining from purchasing, delaying the payment of invoices, borrowing money, selling possessions and starving to ensure family members and pets have food [9,25]. ...
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The study provides insights for pet food retailers, vets and managers and volunteers at animal shelters, pet food pantries and food banks into the behavioral changes in feeding and pet food buying resulting from pet food anxiety in Covidian times. This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of pet owner’s perceptions of their pet, their engagement with their pet, sociodemographic factors and the frequency of incidences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample of 206 US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that perceiving the pet as an animal or family/friend, as well as active engagement with the pet, heightens a sense of pet food anxiety. Similarly, past experiences where pet owners could not provide sufficient food for their pet impacts pet food anxiety, which leads to changes in pet food shopping and pet feeding behavior. Sociodemographic factors (biological sex, age, income and education) were not found to impact anxiety.
... MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions, or products referred to in the content. Population of Dogs 2016 4,379,549 86,675,000 2017 4,328,560 84,911,000 2018 4,245,710 85,184,000 2019 4,168,656 87,510,000 2020 4,071,484 89,821,000 2021 4,088,494 92,947,000 2022 3,885,585 104,348,000 Due to the characteristics of loyalty and companionship, dogs are equally treated as family members nowadays [8][9][10], health and well-being of dogs are of utmost importance to their caregivers, thereby their awareness to dog food quality and safety is risen. Pet food safety indicates a significant challenge in types of biological, chemical and physical hazards in the food. ...
... Samples of the food are taken and examined using various techniques such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and culture-based methods. 10 Polymerase Chain Reaction and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay are two common methods used in laboratory to detect if there is Salmonella in dog food. PCR is a scientific method that amplify lots of copies of certain parts of DNA. ...
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Dogs population increased exponentially in the past decade while the birth rate decreased gradually, especially in the developed countries. Due to dogs’ characteristics of loyalty and obedience, most pet owners treated their dogs as their family members or companions, therefore they are willing to select and purchase safe, high quality and nutrition dog food to their dogs. However, there is lack of regulation or standard to reinforce the production or distribution of dog food in Hong Kong. Consequently, this paper will first review the relationship between high dog population and declining birth rate, types of dog food and typical ingredients. Secondly, the potential health implications of various “toxic” food ingredients for dog, hazard analysis of dog food and its testing methods will be investigated. Lastly, this paper will summarize worldwide existing standards and regulations, quality and hygiene management system related to dog food safety to provide insights and suggestions to Hong Kong government about the importance and urgency of implementing regulations and policies to oversee the imported and local manufactured dog food.
... Pets provided companionship, emotional support, and a sense of purpose and responsibility and they were also comfort and stress relief during difficult times, such as when dealing with financial hardship or social isolation. Other researchers have indicated how the human-animal bond positively impacts mental health, including reducing anxiety and depression symptoms (Pikhartova et al., 2014;Rauktis et al., 2017). However, women on a low income may need help in providing adequate pet care, including access to veterinary care and pet supplies (Pikhartova et al., 2014;Rauktis et al., 2017). ...
... Other researchers have indicated how the human-animal bond positively impacts mental health, including reducing anxiety and depression symptoms (Pikhartova et al., 2014;Rauktis et al., 2017). However, women on a low income may need help in providing adequate pet care, including access to veterinary care and pet supplies (Pikhartova et al., 2014;Rauktis et al., 2017). In our study, social workers considered pets a source of financial stress for the participants and (direct/indirectly) questioned the choice to manage such a responsibility; nevertheless, pets were an undeniable and non-negotiable source of support and companionship for the women. ...
Article
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Background Existing research highlights the role of social determinants of health, such as education and housing, in predicting health outcomes and the challenges that arise from deficiencies in these areas, often linked to societal inequities. Gender and income are recognized as social determinants of health, yet the complexities of their interplay, particularly for women with low income seeking health and social services in Canada, need more exploration. Objective This study investigates how gender and income intersect to affect access to health and social services for Canadian women with low income. Methods Employing a participatory action approach with arts-based and interpretive methodologies, the study partnered with a non-profit organization to engage five women through photovoice, interviews, and a focus group, aiming to capture their experiences in accessing services. Results The analysis revealed three primary themes: the labyrinth-like complexity of navigating health and social service systems, the importance of mental health sanctuaries, and the value of supportive networks. Participants reported difficulties and frustrations in system navigation, often feeling ignored by service providers. Contrarily, community agencies provided essential non-judgmental support, including daily necessities and emotional care, with the companionship of pets also being a notable source of comfort. Conclusion The findings advocate for a shift towards more person-centred care in health and social service systems to better serve women in vulnerable positions, emphasizing the need to simplify the process of accessing services and ensuring that service providers recognize and address the unique challenges faced by equity-deserving groups.
... In recent years, veterinary services have demonstrated a positive impact on animal population demographics, health, and the overall well-being of pets, potentially affecting human welfare [1]. It can be said that pets hold a significant place in the lives of people who regard their pets as "members of the family" [2][3][4]. The increase in the pet population has contributed to substantial growth in the pet food industry, driven by an increasing demand for premium and nutritious options to meet the dietary requirements of canine companions. ...
... The samples were weighed and dried in an oven at 65 • C for 48 h, then reweighed to measure their moisture content. Subsequently, the samples were ground into a powder using a laboratory mill (KNIFETEC 1095, Foss Tecator, Höganäs, Sweden), passed through a 1 mm sieve, and transferred to sterile containers labeled with consecutive symbols (samples [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. To avoid cross-contamination, the laboratory mill was thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed between processing different samples. ...
Article
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The pet food industry’s growth, driven by increased demand for premium options, emphasizes the popularity of canned dog foods due to their palatability and convenience. This study evaluates the nutritional and microbiological quality of canned dog food for puppies and adult dogs, with and without grains, immediately after opening and following 24 h of incubation simulating home storage conditions. The grain-free products exhibited higher protein and energy levels, while the grain-included products contained more ether extract, crude ash, and nitrogen-free extract. Age-specific differences revealed higher ether extract, crude ash, crude fiber, and energy in growing dog foods and more nitrogen-free extract in adult dog foods. Discrepancies between labeled nutrient values and laboratory results indicated overstatements for ether extract and underestimations for protein and crude ash. A microbiological analysis showed that the canned dog foods were generally safe when opened, but after 24 h, 85% exhibited bacterial presence, emphasizing the need for rigorous evaluation. A statistical analysis did not confirm associations between grain presence or age group and microbiological contamination. This study underscores the importance of accurate labeling for nutritional value and emphasizes the need for microbiological safety evaluations, especially in regions lacking specific regulatory standards, to ensure pet food safety and nutritional adequacy.
... If viewed uncritically, the lower life satisfaction reported by older adults in survey data suggests a direct link between having a pet and experiencing diminished emotional well-being. This simplistic interpretation disregards the fundamental supportive roles that companion animals may playparticularly for socio-economically disadvantaged older adults (Matsuoka, Sorenson, Graham, & Ferreira, 2020;McLennan et al., 2022;Rauktis, Rose, Chen, Martone, & Martello, 2017;Toohey et al., 2017;Toohey & Rock, 2019). At the root of this problem is a common methodological presumption that having a pet can be likened to an epidemiological "exposure" that will lead to either beneficial or harmful outcomes in those who are "exposed" versus those who are not exposed (i.e., non-pet owners). ...
... These barriers include a lack of affordable, appropriate pet-friendly housing as well as a historic lack of coordination between community-based human social service and animal welfare supports (McLennan et al., 2022;Toohey et al., 2017;Toohey & Krahn, 2018;Toohey & Rock, 2019). These challenges are not unique to our setting (see, e.g., Arrington & Markarian, 2018;Matsuoka et al., 2020;Rauktis et al., 2020Rauktis et al., , 2017. Veterinary services in Calgary are also costly, and there is a recognized gap in terms of service support for lower income pet owners (McLennan et al., 2022;Van Patten, Chalhoub, Baker, Rock, & Adams, 2021). ...
Article
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Relationships with companion animals, or "pets", may promote health and well-being for older adults as they age-in-place. Less is known, however, about ways that pet-related challenges may simultaneously influence aging-in-place experiences. This study explores the relational qualities of having pets later in life by considering qualitative accounts of older adults who are aging in the community. Semi-structured interviews with 14 socio-economically diverse, community-dwelling older adult pet-owners (≥ 60 years) living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, were analyzed reflexively. Four recurring themes suggested that companion animal relationships were valued in older adults' lives and helped them cope with challenging circumstances, even when pets were central to these challenges. Findings also confirmed the relational nature of human-animal relationships as being shaped by both individual attributes and systemic factors. Methodological approaches to addressing these multifaceted complexities when studying pets and aging are considered. Enhanced cross-sectoral community and policy-level supports for aging-in-place with pets may have a population-level influence on health, well-being, and social justice across the socio-demographically diverse aging population.
... Among these barriers, affordability is the most frequently discussed in current literature, with over 25 previous studies focusing on this challenge [e.g., (7)(8)(9)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)]. A number of programs have been initiated to improve access to basic veterinary care and pet support services (8,(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31); including service-learning programs that strive to prepare veterinary students to address barriers to accessing pet care (10). Unfortunately, many of these programs view barriers to accessing care as a personal issue, opt to address only one dimension of access (e.g., affordability, geographic accessibility), or determine program efficacy by evaluating just one measurement of success, such as number of services provided (12). ...
... Results of the overall balance test (48) are reported in Table 3. For both matched groups, no covariates demonstrated a large imbalance (|d| > 0. 25). Figures 1, 2 present the standardized mean differences (Cohen's d) for all covariates before and after propensity score matching. ...
Article
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Understanding social, economic, and structural barriers to accessing pet care services is important for improving the health and welfare of companion animals in underserved communities in the U.S. From May 2018-December 2019, six questions from the validated One Health Community Assessment were used to measure perceptions of access to pet care in two urban and two rural zip codes. One urban and one rural community received services from a pet support outreach program (Pets for Life), while the other served as a comparison community. After propensity score matching was performed to eliminate demographic bias in the sample (Urban = 512 participants, Rural = 234 participants), Generalized Estimating Equations were employed to compare the six measures of access to pet care between the intervention and comparison communities. The urban community with the Pets for Life intervention was associated with a higher overall measure of access to pet care compared to the urban site that did not have the Pets for Life intervention. When assessing each of the six measures of access to care, the urban community with the Pets for Life intervention was associated with higher access to affordable pet care options and higher access to pet care service providers who offer payment options than the community without the Pets for Life intervention. Further analyses with a subset of Pets for Life clients comparing pre-intervention and post-intervention survey responses revealed statistically significant positive trends in perceptions of two of the six measures of access to pet care. This study provides evidence that community-based animal welfare programming has the potential to increase perceptions of access to pet support services.
... Fiber-rich ingredients promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, including Faecalitalea [112]. In line with this, we could assume that dog food which would have higher amount of fiber would affect the Faecalitalea abundance considering the pet group could have more well balanced dietfood as they have their owners who provide them with sincere care [113][114][115][116][117]. ...
Article
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Background A significant portion of South Korea’s population, approximately a quarter, owns pets, with dogs being the most popular choice among them. However, studies analyzing the fecal organism communities of dogs in South Korea are lacking, and limited efforts have been exerted to identify pathogens with potential zoonotic implications. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate potential pathogens using metabarcoding analysis and evaluate the risk of zoonotic diseases in dog feces in Seoul, South Korea. Methodology Fecal samples were collected from both pet and stray dogs in the Mapo district of Seoul. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was utilized, employing 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to identify prokaryotic pathogens, and 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing for eukaryotic pathogens. The data obtained from the QIIME2 pipeline were subjected to various statistical analyses to identify different putative pathogens and their compositions. Principal findings Significant variations in microbiota composition were found between stray and pet dogs, and putative prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens were identified. The most prevalent putative bacterial pathogens were Fusobacterium, Helicobacter, and Campylobacter. The most prevalent putative eukaryotic pathogens were Giardia, Pentatrichomonas, and Cystoisospora. Interestingly, Campylobacter, Giardia, and Pentatrichomonas were found to be significantly more prevalent in stray dogs than in pet dogs. The variation in the prevalence of potential pathogens in dog feces could be attributed to environmental factors, including dietary variances and interactions with wildlife, particularly in stray dogs. These factors likely contributed to the observed differences in pathogen occurrence between stray and pet dogs. Conclusions/Significance This study offers valuable insights into the zoonotic risks associated with dog populations residing in diverse environments. By identifying and characterizing putative pathogens in dog feces, this research provides essential information on the impact of habitat on dog-associated pathogens, highlighting the importance of public health planning and zoonotic risk management.
... We know that people worry about the responsibility they have for their pets, and feel guilty, angry and helpless if they are unable to provide for their needs (Merkouri et al. 2022). They often prioritise the pet above themselves (Rauktis et al. 2017;Friedman et al. 2020), particularly where food is concerned. Worrying about "food precarity" is linked to feelings of confusion, frustration, anxiety, and shame (Ivancic & Dooling 2023;p 294). ...
Article
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Drawing upon data from a study examining experiences of accessing support for pets from the UK animal welfare charity Blue Cross, this paper illuminates reasons why people might not seek support when they need it. This applies to those who are struggling financially and are eligible for, but do not take, free/reduced cost veterinary care, or are having other problems (e.g. the animal’s disruptive behaviour or ill health, struggling to care for the pet due to changing circumstances or health problems, or coping with pet loss). Twenty Blue Cross service users (15 female, five male, age 29–67) took part in individual online interviews using a semi-guided narrative approach, where they were encouraged to share their experiences of reaching out. They were also asked to reflect upon why others may not do the same, and if they had any recommendations for organisations to help them reach these people. Findings echo other studies that highlight a fear of being judged, disclosure and stigma. Guilt, shame, lack of awareness, financial concerns, and wanting to manage independently, all play important roles. These factors have implications for the way support services are advertised and delivered to ensure animals receive the care needed. We describe these reflections and recommendations and identify three broader ideological narratives underpinning participants’ stories: ‘giving back’; ‘equity’, and ‘sacrifice’. These reveal how wider societal attitudes and values shape identities and behaviours. It is vital that support on offer is reframed to explicitly counteract these influences to ensure optimal animal and human welfare.
... Feed used for consumption of domesticated animals is pet food. The decrease in family size has led to increase in the number of pets and they are considered as family members [11][12][13][14]. Mainly foods for dogs and cats are available in the market. ...
Article
Basa (Pangasius bocourti) fish is commonly used in fish fillet industry and it generates 75% of waste that causes environmental pollution. However, this waste is a rich source of nutrients and fatty acids. In the present work, analyses of Basa fish waste oil showed high contents of oleic acid (45.15%), linoleic (11.31%) and alpha linolenic acid (0.52%). Hence safe pet foods as powder and kibble forms were prepared utilizing Basa fish waste and using γ-irradiation, known to be promising technology for extension of shelf life of food. Microbiological and lipid peroxidation analyses, showed an extended shelf-life of 65 days for both the pet foods when irradiated at 2.5 kGy whereas, non-irradiated kibble and powder samples spoiled within 28 and 35 days respectively. No significant changes in proximate composition of these pet foods were observed on irradiation.
... [21][22][23] Today, companion animals are cherished additions to the household, often regarded as valued family members. [24][25][26][27] For many caregivers, feeding is a means of expressing love or affection towards their beloved companions. 28 Despite the good intentions behind such practices, caregivers may tend to overfeed their pets, including with treats. ...
Article
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Obesity remains a significant concern for dogs and cats, and reducing or eliminating treats is commonly recommended as a strategy for weight management. Caregivers can struggle with adherence to such dietary recommendations. Previous research suggests caregivers are reluctant to reduce treats but there is limited understanding of the underlying factors contributing to these behaviours and decisions. The objective of this study was to explore caregivers’ motivations and barriers to reducing treat feeding, and their reported capability to do so. An online questionnaire including multiple choice and Likert scale questions was disseminated to dog and cat caregivers (n=1053) primarily from Canada and the USA from September to November 2021. Caregivers commonly expressed a wide range of motivations to reduce treat feeding with their pet, though barriers to reducing treat feeding were less defined. Changing their pet's routine was a reported barrier by more than 30% of respondents and was predictive of caregivers finding reducing treat giving to be difficult (OR=1.67, p=0.017). Results from multivariable logistic regression also revealed that caregivers who consider their companion animal to be obese as more likely to perceive reducing treats to be difficult. The results highlight the role of treats in the relationship and routine of caregivers’ and their pets, and the importance of considering the individualised needs and circumstance of the caregiver and pet in veterinary discussions surrounding reducing treat feeding. Identifying these perspectives can improve self-efficacy with veterinary nutrition recommendations surrounding treats.
... Providing more financial and material support for individuals is a matter of public health, as there is research suggesting that the welfare of companion animals intersects with the health of their owners (Pinillos et al., 2016). For example, some food pantries have begun providing pet food to clients because they recognized that pet owners would give the food obtained at the pantry to their pets rather than letting their pets go hungry (Rauktis et al., 2017;Arluke, 2021). Another example of this is how pet owners experiencing intimate partner violence or homelessness are less likely to seek out shelter services because they do not want to be separated from their companion animal (Collins et al., 2018;McDonald et al., 2019). ...
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There is evidence that pet owners experienced benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic and also struggled with pet-related stressors. Notably, almost all of these studies were conducted with predominantly cisgender and heterosexual samples. This is problematic, as evidence suggests that individuals who belong to marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ emerging adults, have been disproportionately affected by stressors associated with the pandemic. This qualitative study explores the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ emerging adults who lived with a pet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we sought to identify resources needed to assist LGBTQ+ emerging adult pet owners during the pandemic. The sample included 65 participants aged 18-21 years who had lived with one or more pets within the past year (Mean age = 19.5 years; 36.9% transgender/gender diverse; 40% minoritized racial/ethnic identity). We conducted semi-structured interviews consisting of 18 questions (including five COVID-specific questions). Two authors coded and analyzed the interviews using template analysis. Then, authors used a thematic analysis approach to organize codes into themes, identify patterns of meaning, and examine relations between themes. Four themes emerged related to the experience of living with a pet during the pandemic. Almost all participants said that their pet provided various types of support to them. Many participants stated that their pet also added stress to their lives during the pandemic. Some participants attributed the changes in their pet’s behavior and/or attitude to pandemic-related quarantines. More than half of participants discussed changes in their relationship with their pet, with the majority claiming their relationship became stronger. Two themes emerged that related to necessary resources: greater community-based resources (e.g., low-cost veterinary care, pet-friendly outdoor spaces) and more government resources (e.g., better access to information, more material and financial support). Participants offered suggestions for ways to alleviate pet-related stressors, such as developing community-based programs (e.g., pet food pantries, mutual aid programs). There is opportunity for collaboration between researchers and practitioners in piloting these community programs, as well as implications for policy makers to advocate for policies supportive of LGBTQ+ emerging adult pet owners (e.g., university pet policies, housing policies).
... To this point, there is an important distinction in the human health care literature between "having access" to services, meaning the potential to access a particular service, and an "gaining access," referring to actual utilization of the service [63]. There are a variety of strategies currently being used in the animal welfare field to attempt to support remote communities' moving toward actually gaining access to veterinary care, including providing telehealth options for non-surgical procedures, offering transportation for pets and their owners to and from appointments, providing pet support care and supplies alongside existing human service providers or events (e.g., food and supply pantries), and delivering pet supplies (e.g., food, treats, litterboxes, collars, and leashes) directly to clients' homes at no cost [64]. Animal service providers working to serve the MHA Nation community members should consider what the participants have shared regarding the barriers they are experiencing to accessing the limited pet support services in their community and make efforts to facilitate the MHA Nation community in gaining access to their services. ...
Article
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The research on the relationships between free-roaming dogs, also referred to as reservation dogs or rez dogs, and Indigenous communities is extremely limited. This study aimed to document the cultural significance of rez dogs, challenges related to rez dogs, and community-specific solutions for rez dog issues affecting community health and safety from members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, also referred to as the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT), who live on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota, U.S.A. One hour semi-structured interviews with 14 community members of the MHA Nation were conducted in 2016. The interviews were analyzed via systematic and inductive coding using Gadamer’s hermeneutical phenomenology. The primary intervention areas described by the participants included: culturally relevant information sharing, improved animal control policies and practices, and improved access to veterinary care and other animal services.
... Programs are increasingly recognizing that the needs of their clients may also be a need for a client's pet. For example, home delivered meal programs and food banks are recognizing that food insecurity is experienced by the people and pets within a home (Rauktis et al., 2017). People will forgo food to ensure their pet can eat. ...
Article
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Pets often factor in older adults’ health behaviors and decisions. However, the degree to which issues related to pet ownership are encountered or addressed by professionals working with this population remains unknown. The aim of this study was to identify specific issues stemming from pet ownership professionals had encountered in their work with older adults, people living with dementia, and care partners. An interdisciplinary (e.g., social services and healthcare) sample ( N = 462, 89.13% female, M age = 53.02, SD age = 12.18) completed an online survey addressing pet ownership issues encountered in their work. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVAs were used to analyze quantitative data. A conventional content analysis was used to analyze open-ended responses to an item asking about “other” issues encountered in their work with these populations. The professionals estimated 46.29% of clients had been pet owners, 41.23% regularly asked about pets, and 79.22% had encountered issues related to pet ownership. Specific issues raised to the professionals varied by type of client. The professionals reported older adults most often raised getting pet items into the home and concerns about their pets’ health. The issues most often raised by people living with dementia to the professionals were planning for the pet due to a housing transition and basic pet care. Care partners focused on basic pet care and planning for the pet due to a housing transition. The professionals themselves most often raised the issues of basic pet care, concerns about falling, and the pets’ behavior. Professionals who entered clients’ homes were more likely to raise issues stemming from pet ownership compared to those who reported they did not enter clients’ homes in their current job, t (429.40) = 5.59, p < 0.00001. The eleven new issues identified by the content analysis (e.g., pets impeding care, people refusing care due to the pet) underscored how the health and wellbeing of people and their pets are linked. The results of this study provide strong evidence that professionals do encounter issues related to pet ownership. Including issues stemming from pet ownership into procedures, policies, and programs is likely to have positive impacts on those served by and working in the geriatric workforce.
... Human-pet relationships have been studied in various fields of knowledge since decades ago, where pets are recognized as family members [10]. Pets served as a secure base which led their owners to pursuing activities [7], risk taking [11] and exploring the world confidently [12]. ...
Conference Paper
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Many modern families involve pets in most of their daily social activities. Yet, many of them do not involve pets when undertaking tourism activities. Drawing upon theories of planned behaviour and leisure constraint models, this study intends to examine how perceptions of their relationship with pets and perceived constraints may influence the willingness of owners to travel with pets. Focusing on reviewing multidisciplinary literature on human–pet relationship-oriented leisure trip activities with a method of theoretical analysis, this paper proposed an integrated theoretical framework based on recognized and synthesized patterns and similarities within the literature.
... Nonetheless, the observation that companion-animals are often treated as such does not exclude the possibility of humans sometimes forming more permanent kinship bonds with OTHAs (Hill 2020), nor render all companion-animals in danger of relinquishment when life circumstances change. Indeed, examples exist of individuals making significant personal and financial sacrifices to keep their companion-animals safe and fed (Marchetti-Mercer 2020; Rauktis et al. 2017). ...
Article
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The movement of otherthanhuman-animals (henceforth OTHA) across human-defined borders are often categorised depending upon human-assigned categories such as ‘invasive’, ‘introduced’, ‘non-native’ or ‘migrating’. However, there is a paucity of literature categorising OTHAs, from a posthuman, anthrozoological view, as immigrants. This paper examines, through the dual lenses of posthumanism and anthrozoology, five scenarios for OTHA immigrants. First, how pigs became pawns in America’s New World, due to the continued unwillingness of humans to see the agency of OTHAs; secondly, what does the action of co-immigrating with our companion-animals say about our relationships with the accompanying OTHA? Next, whether the UK, a self-declared ‘nation of animal lovers’ is suffering from zoo-xenophobia, a form of xenophobia towards immigrant dogs? Then, an examination of elephant-human interactions in Nepal across Nepalese-Indian borders seems to indicate that tensions should decrease as the elephant immigrant population declines, but is not the case. Finally, how zoo-animal immigration, means an OTHA’s belonging to a zoological collection is often transitory in nature and so not afforded citizenship. Each case discusses the fluidity of OTHA immigrant membership of a human-constructed category, which may waiver as the OTHA is able to fulfill human needs or become an unwitting transgressor of social and political desires, fears and conflicts.
... Pet food pantries were the most implemented program, occurring in more than 40% of shelters in this sample. Human food insecurity increased drastically during the pandemic [45,46] and food insecurity is thought to be correlated between humans and pets [47]. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, pet food banks were the most common community program offered by animal shelters [48]. ...
Article
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Anecdotal reports indicate that many animal shelters experienced increased adoption and foster care rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet peer-reviewed evidence is lacking. In this pilot survey of 14 animal shelters in the Northeastern United States, we aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal intakes, foster care and five outcome types and describe operational changes reported by shelters in response to COVID-19. Paired sample t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare intake, adoption, euthanasia and foster care rates and numbers between March–June 2019 and 2020. The number of dogs and cats that entered shelters was significantly lower during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the same months of 2019 (t = 3.41, p = 0.01, t = 2.69, p = 0.02). Although the overall rate of adoption and euthanasia did not differ, the numbers adopted and euthanized decreased significantly for both dogs and cats, reflecting the significantly decreased intake. We also found significant variability between shelters. During the pandemic, several shelters sought to expand their foster care networks through operational changes (n = 6) and statements made to the public (n = 7). However, the proportion of dogs and cats housed in foster care did not differ between March–June 2019 and 2020 in our sample. Our findings offer preliminary insights regarding the impact of a worldwide pandemic on the functioning of animal shelters.
... The population of pets is gradually increasing in Europe -an estimated 80 million European households have at least one pet animal (FEDIAF 2020a). It can be said that pets play a particularly important role in the lives of people who regard their pets as "members of the family" (Di Cerbo et al. 2017;Rauktis et al. 2017;McConnell et al. 2019). Due to the growing number of pets in European homes, the pet food market is also developing dynamically. ...
Article
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In addition to properly balancing nutritional value in accordance with the needs of a dog, estimating the microbiological quality of dog food is crucial in providing healthy and safe foods. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of dry food for adult dogs, with particular reference to: (1) evaluating the nutritional value and compliance with nutritional guidelines for dogs, (2) comparing the nutritional value of dog foods, with particular emphasis on the division into cereal and cereal-free foods, and (3) evaluating their microbiological safety. All thirty-six evaluated dry dog foods met the minimum European Pet Food Industry FEDIAF requirement for total protein and fat content. The total aerobic microbial count in the analyzed dry dog foods ranged from 2.7 × 10² to above 3.0 × 10⁷ cfu/g. In five (14%) dog foods the presence of staphylococci was detected; however, coagulase positive Staphylococcus (CPS) was not found. Mold presence was reported in one cereal-free dog food and in six cereal foods. In none of the analyzed foods Enterobacteriaceae were found, including coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Bacteria of the genus Listeria and Clostridium as well as yeasts were also not detected. In conclusion, the evaluated dry dog foods had varied microbiological quality. The detected number of microorganisms may have some implications for long-term consumption of contaminated food. The lack of European Commission standards regarding the permissible amounts of microorganisms in pet food may result in insufficient quality control of these products.
... All respondents accessed local free pet food pantries 2 that enabled them to get a limited amount of food for each animal per month, a resource that is allegedly very important to low-income pet owners (Rauktis et al., 2017). Many respondents saw this free pet food as a "life saver" because "things happened"recent retirement, sudden unemployment, sickness or disability, or rent increasesthat made buying it even harder for them. ...
Article
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To what extent, if at all, do low-income owners of dogs and/or cats worry about running out of pet food before being able to buy more? If this insecurity exists among these pet owners, what contributes to it besides the inability to afford pet food? And whatever the sources of pet food insecurity, how do owners cope with it? A non-random, snowball sample of clients (n = 40) at three pet food pantries operated in Charlotte, North Carolina, Washington, DC, and Hyannis, Massachusetts were interviewed to understand their perspective toward and experience with feeding their pets. Results indicate that respondents commonly experienced emotional distress because they worried about being able to feed their pets and resorted to a variety of coping strategies to lessen this insecurity. They used pet food pantries, stretched their available supply of pet food, saved to buy pet food, shared human food with pets, asked for or borrowed pet food or money, and/or made sacrifices to buy pet food. Using these strategies enabled respondents to not surrender or abandon their pets and to see themselves as responsible owners, even if what they did fell short of how they typically fed their pets or what they considered being best for them. The extent to which these strategies are effective and parallel to those used by people in or near poverty to cope with human food insecurity are discussed.
... Examples of services which address both human and animal welfare have shown success. For example, households facing food insecurity reported highly valuing having pet food available in their food banks, and were reluctant to surrender animals if this food became unavailable, instead agreeing that they would share human food with their companion animals (75). As previously mentioned, the implementation of free or subsidized spay/neuter clinics both alleviates cost-related concerns of veterinary care (76), but can also improve welfare of the animal, as previous studies have found that spay/neuter clinics can reduce rates of intake in shelters (77). ...
Article
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Previous studies identify owner-related issues, such as cost and housing, as common reasons for relinquishment of companion animals to animal shelters. It is likely that the burden of surrendering for owner-related reasons falls on those who are socially vulnerable (e.g., low income, unemployed); however, very few studies have assessed social determinants as a predictor of animal relinquishment. The present study used the Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD), which uses four factors of social vulnerability (Ethnocultural Composition, Economic Dependency, Residential Instability, and Situational Vulnerability) to predict risk of surrender for various reasons, of various species and breeds, and of various health statuses across British Columbia, Canada (n = 29,236). We found that CIMD factors predicted increased risk of surrender across many shelter variables. For further understanding of differences between areas in the province, the present study also analyzed the relationship between CIMD factors and animal surrender variables in two areas of interest: Metro Vancouver (n = 3,445) and Kamloops (n = 2,665), and plotted these relationships on a geospatial scale. We found that there were some similarities across areas, such as Situational Vulnerability predicting increased odds of surrendering pit bull-labeled dogs vs. all other dog breeds. There were also differences in predictors of animal surrender variables, suggesting that provision of animal services, such as veterinary care, for vulnerable groups may be specific to location. For example, whereas Ethnocultural Composition predicted increased risk of owner surrender for multiple owner-related reasons in Metro Vancouver, these same reasons for surrender were predicted by Residential Instability in Kamloops, indicating demographic differences that affect animal shelter service use. The results of this research validate the use of geospatial analysis to understand relationships between human vulnerability and animal welfare, but also highlight the need for further interventions in marginalized populations to increase retention of animals.
... Insuring access to pet food is not only important for pet welfare, it carries implications for human health. As Rauktis et al. found, companion animal food insecurity and scarcity can create human food security problems as people attempt to supplement their pets' diet with their own food [43]. ...
Article
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The onset of COVID has impacted the field of veterinary medicine and the lives of cat guardians in numerous ways, yet the subject remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study was to better understand cat guardians’ fears and concerns pertaining to veterinary care and obtainment of pet care products and food during the initial lock down phase of the COVID pandemic to better address these concerns now and in the future. To this end, an anonymous online survey was distributed to cat guardians during the first two months of the pandemic. The survey included questions pertaining to guardians’ relationship with their cat and their veterinary related concerns and experiences as a result of the pandemic. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 956 participants. The results revealed that the increased amount of time guardians spent with their cat had a positive impact on their bond. Participants’ veterinary related concerns, particularly for participants between 18-29 years of age, centered around availability of their veterinarian for both emergency and non-emergency care. Other concerns included fears about the ability to afford emergency veterinary care and obtain cat food and supplies. Awareness of these concerns can help veterinarians better support cat guardians by directly communicating their continued availability and presence in the face of a pandemic as well as other challenging times.
... incomes experience many of the same HAI benefits as financially secure individuals: companionship, unconditional acceptance, and reduced social isolation. (Rauktis et al., 2017;Fink, 2015;Lem et al., 2013). Companion animals may also provide particularly important psychological and physical benefits for those at the economic and social margins of society. ...
Article
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While there is a substantive body of research on benefits conveyed via the human–animal bond (HAB), less is understood about disruptions to HAB and how to potentially prevent such. The construct of commitment can elucidate such scenarios and may also help inform related interventions; however, there are few empirical measures of commitment to a companion animal, and none specific to low-income owners. The Commitment to Pets measure was created to address this gap. The scale was included in a mixed methods study of food security administered to 392 low-income adults utilizing food pantries in a Northeastern city in the United States. Of this number, 258 (66%) owned pets. Data collection included a self-administered questionnaire about demographics, food security, health, and wellbeing, and for those with pets, animal attachment, commitment, and animal information. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 pet-owning individuals who completed the questionnaire and agreed to be contacted and interviewed over the phone about food security and their pets. Exploratory factor analyses found three underlying factors: financial costs/burdens; pet behaviors and problems; family problems. These subscales associated with attachment in that higher attachment was correlated with greater commitment. However, the value of the correlations suggests they are different constructs. Moreover, analysis of the qualitative interviews supported these underlying constructs and suggested that unexpected financial costs of veterinary care and food was a major factor in considering ongoing pet ownership, even when there was a deep level of attachment between humans and their animals. Commitment is a complex construct, and additional measurement studies are needed. Findings suggest community outreach models using cross–systems collaboration have potential to support low-income pet-owning families in their commitment to pets and may aid in prevention of surrenders and HAB disruptions.
... Communities need to adopt a One Health/One Welfare approach for human and animal social services to work in concert to support vulnerable pet owners and their animal companions [28] while reducing risk of COVID-19 spread. This could include progressive public policy around pet companionship [29], and/or supporting pet owners financially or instrumentally to address human and pet needs together [30]. In the interest of public health, we recommend community collaboration to provide services and resources to circumvent obstacles that arise for people and their pets during public health emergencies. ...
Article
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There is evidence that prioritizing pets’ welfare can impact the health and well-being of their owners, especially when pet owners have a strong bond with their pet. This carries public health implications, particularly in a global public health emergency such as COVID-19. The study objective was to understand pet owners’ consideration of their pets’ welfare when making personal healthcare decisions specific to COVID-19. A large sample (n=1,356) of adult pet owners in the U.S. completed an online survey in April and May of 2020, coinciding with the onset of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Respondents were asked if they would delay or avoid testing or treatment for COVID-19 due to concern for their pets’ welfare, and a follow-up question asked them to elaborate. Multinomial logistic regression models showed that attachment to pets and socioeconomic resources were important factors in pet owners’ hypothetical decisions regarding testing and treatment for COVID-19. Qualitative analysis of responses to the follow-up question revealed explanations across three themes: (1) the need to find pet accommodation prior to seeking healthcare; (2) pet-related concerns; and, (3) human-related concerns. Pet owners often cited concern for their pets’ welfare as a factor contributing to their decision making; participants’ lack of a concrete plan for pet care was most commonly cited as the reason for their delay in seeking healthcare. Results from this study indicate that pet owners experience unique obstacles to accessing healthcare related to COVID-19, which has implications for future public health emergencies. Increased disease spread and prevalence of poor health outcomes could result if pet owners delay or avoid testing or treatment. Communities can benefit from a One Health/One Welfare approach to collaboration between human and animal health and service providers to reduce COVID-19 spread and secure the well-being of people and their pets.
... In addition, given that our participants reported significant distress and feelings of shame when they were unable to feed their pets, we recommend that community food banks and charitable food programs expand their services to include the provision of free pet food. A recent study that evaluated the effects of a pet food distribution program to food banks found that clients greatly valued the availability of pet food, and that food bank staff and volunteers believed that this access made clients less likely to share their human food with their pets (Rauktis et al. 2017). Advocacy work that encouraged the pet industry to donate pet food to food banks could also help to increase access to free pet food among formerly homeless young adults living in PSH. ...
Article
In this study, we explore the interconnections between structural violence and food insecurity in the lives of formerly homeless young adults living in permanent supportive housing. Using photovoice, participants identified several forms of structural violence that constrain their ability to access adequate and healthy food, including: insufficient funding through government assistance programs to cover monthly food costs; the lack of affordable, healthy food vendors in proximity to the permanent supportive housing building; and corporate policies at restaurants and grocery stores that prohibit the donation of edible food to employees or to people experiencing homelessness. Participants also reported several strategies for adapting to food insecurity, including rationing, creative combinations of food, and scavenging. Our data suggest that participants’ experiences of food insecurity contributed to feelings of stigma and shame, especially when they were unable to adequately feed themselves or their pets. Implications for programs and policies that address food insecurity for this population are discussed.
Article
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Recently, as the concept of pet food that satisfies both nutritional needs and the five senses has evolved, so too has the demand for effective pet food non-thermal sterilization methods. Prominent non-thermal technologies include high-pressure processing, plasma, and radiation, which are favored for their ability to preserve nutrients, avoid residues, and minimize compositional changes, thereby maintaining quality and sensory properties. However, to assess their effectiveness on pet food, it is essential to optimize operational parameters such as pressure levels, plasma intensity, radiation dosage, and temperature. Further studies are needed to evaluate microbial sterilization efficacy and sensory attributes. This exploration is expected to lay the groundwork for preventing zoonotic diseases and improving the production of high-quality pet food.
Article
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Perception of quality of life for cats and dogs of low-income Spanish and English-speaking veterinary clients attending problem focused or routine veterinary visits is an important area of focus for community based veterinary service providers. Using a qualitative approach, 50 New York City based American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) veterinary clients completed semi-structured interviews as well as a survey about their perception of life with their pets. Veterinary clients shared both human-animal bond (HAB) related and quality of life (QoL) related factors in their daily experience of life with their pets. Results indicated that this demographic perceives QoL similarly to previous QoL research that either does not report sample demographics or reports sample demographics with more affluence. Moreover, 60% of qualitative excerpts included both HAB and QoL themes and 40% were discretely HAB or QoL. An analog single item 10-point scale measuring veterinary client perception of their pets QoL did not differentiate between sample demographics at a statistically significant level. Finally, pet QoL literature has not traditionally reflected diverse demographic identities of veterinary clients or widely included reliable and valid measures of the human-animal bond (HAB). These results support the importance of measuring the HAB when researching pet QoL and provide evidence that lower-income Spanish and English-speaking veterinary clients are similarly bonded and attentive to their pets as other demographics.
Article
"The growing awareness of the needs of pets by pet owners has also led to a diversity of diets on the market. Given that a proper diet is the best prevention for diseases such as obesity, diabetes, adverse food reactions, gastrointestinal disorders and even cancer, it is vital to guide owners early on towards an optimal diet for the physiological requirements of each individual pet. An increasingly debated topic in canine nutrition lately is the percentage of carbohydrates in dog food. The International Research Council has concluded that there is no need for carbohydrates at all in dog diets (corn, rice, potatoes, barley, etc.). However, carbohydrates are the dominant ingredient in most dry foods and they are abundantly present. They are not harmful to dogs when present in reasonable quantities. Carbohydrates provide a high source of energy, but the problem is the large amount in which they are found in many types of dry food. While protein, fat, fiber and moisture are always listed on a package label as part of the chemical analysis, pet food manufacturers are not required to list 'carbohydrates' in the food as they are the main macronutrient determining postprandial glucose levels. Because of this concern, we thought it appropriate to bring to the attention of dog owners the percentage of carbohydrates in different categories of dry dog food, as well as the types of cereals included in the dry food that have a different glycemic index, which is a system that measures the effects that carbohydrates in food have on blood sugar levels."
Research
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Humans, especially children, are in constant contact with pets and therefore with everything related to them, such as food, so we took 60 samples of cooked and dried pet food for laboratory examination and to investigate whether it contains pathogenic bacteria for humans. The samples were taken from the Companies (Jungle, Hellaw, Pado, Vitus, LoLo, Paw, Pedigree, Dr. Clauders) in Iraq. The results revealed that the isolated Pantoea spp. exhibited characteristic features on the different media. On XLD Agar, the colonies appeared yellow; on MacConkey Agar, the colonies were pink, and on Blood Agar, they exhibited beta-hemolysis. Microscopically, the bacteria appeared as short, Gram-negative, rod-shaped cells arranged singly, The study also examined the growth of samples on different culture media, with 100% growth observed on Blood Agar, 28.3% on MacConkey Agar, 30.0% on XLD Agar, and 20.0% on a mixed media of MacConkey and XLD Agar. The Vitek2 system was used for the conclusive identification of 60 isolates of Pantoea spp., with accuracy ranging from 95% to 99%. The total count determination showed bacterial loads ranging from 9.2 x 106 to 2.7 x 107 log CFU per milliliter in pet nutrient products.
Article
Employees interact with animals in a myriad of ways in the context of work. Herein, we seek to catalog this multiplex phenomenon in order to gain theoretical insights. Our article unfolds in four parts. First, we conduct an interdisciplinary review from which we develop a typology of four employee-animal interactions: working for, with, around, and on animals. Second, we outline the current research for each discrete category. Third, we consider key divergent experiences (e.g., the uniquely gendered nature of each) and convergent themes (e.g., all animal work is emotional and hierarchical) across the typology. Fourth, we supplement our review with two metasyntheses of other workplace team interactions—employee-employee and employee-machine/artificial intelligence interactions—to highlight how the study of human-animal interactions can address current conundrums in the organizational domain. We do so to demonstrate that considerations of employee-animal interactions can offer theoretical value to scholars, including those who may not have an inherent interest in the phenomenon. We complement theoretical extensions with suggestions for future research on core management topics, including humanizing workplaces, the future of work, and team collaboration.
Article
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Residents of distressed areas of inner cities have less access to many of life’s necessities and amenities than their more well-off counterparts. Geographic proximity has been identified as a primary barrier to accessing care for pets potentially creating animal welfare deserts. This project addresses three questions: Are there visible animal welfare deserts in distressed urban centers?; What human inequities are most strongly related to animal welfare deserts?; and What might be done to address these inequities? Using business location and census data in the city of Detroit, this research identifies distinct animal welfare deserts finding that more prosperous areas have more pet support resources and that the need for services is not related to the location of pet stores and veterinary offices. The study concludes that the overlap between human economic distress and pet resource deserts presents a threat to the goals of One Health. Potential policy solutions are proposed to address inequities in the distribution of animal welfare resources.
Article
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The emergence of human–animal support services (HASS)—services provided to help keep people and their companion animals together—in the United States has been driven by two global public health crises. Despite such impetuses and an increasing recognition of One Health approaches, HASS are generally not recognized as public health interventions. The Ottawa Charter, defining health as well-being and resources for living and calling for cross-sector action to advance such, provides a clear rationale for locating HASS within a public health framework. Drawing from Ottawa Charter tenets and using the United States as a case study, we: (1) recognize and explicate HASS as public health resources for human and animal well-being and (2) delineate examples of HASS within the three-tiered public health intervention framework. HASS examples situated in the three-tier framework reveal a public health continuum for symbiotic well-being and health. Humans and their respective companion animals may need different levels of intervention to optimize mutual well-being. Tenets of the Ottawa Charter provide a clear rationale for recognizing and promoting HASS as One Health public health interventions; doing so enables cross-sector leveraging of resources and offers a symbiotic strategy for human and animal well-being.
Chapter
Safety net programs are programs designed to facilitate pet retention, support the human‐animal bond, and avoid shelter relinquishment. Strategies to accomplish these goals vary based on program type and may include provision of basic pet needs such as food and shelter, access to veterinary care, or behavioral support. Even when not specifically behavior focused, safety net programs support the behavioral health of pets at risk of relinquishment by avoiding the stress of sheltering and rehoming. Successful programs should be based on thoughtful analysis of community needs as well as consideration of program goals, desired impact, and available resources. Strategic program selection, planning, and management maximize program impact and allow for thoughtful scaling as community needs or organizational resources evolve. With these considerations in mind, successful safety net programs foster accessible and equitable support for pet owners and benefit animals, pet owners, organizations, and communities.
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Limited literature exists to guide social workers in the effective and ethical use of emotional support animals (ESAs) in practice. This article deals with practical issues these professionals face in dealing with requests for ESA authorization. The article provides an overview of relevant U.S. regulations (as of mid-2019) governing housing, travel, workplaces, and higher education; examines the uses, efficacy, and special concerns regarding ESAs; and presents recommendations for the use of ESAs in social work practice. Ethical implications for social workers dealing with client assessment and ESA authorization are discussed. The authors also address the intrinsic nature of human and ESA well-being and its relevance to client-centered social work practice. In addition, the authors discuss opportunities for incorporating ESAs into social work education.
Article
Purpose Do pets provide benefits or risks for low-income individuals in regards to food security? Method Surveys of food security were administered to 392 low-income adults utilizing food pantries. Data collection included a self-administered questionnaire about demographics, food security, health and well-being, and for those with pets, animal attachment, commitment and animal information. Qualitative interviews were conducted with fifteen pet-owning individuals who completed the questionnaire and agreed to be contacted and interviewed over the phone about food security and their pets. Results Bivariate analyzes suggested that those with pets were more food secure and logistic regression found pet ownership associated with greater food security. The interviews suggest that pets assisted in creating a routine, and motivation for obtaining food. Discussion It is critical that social workers realize the importance of pets in the lives of humans and include them in psychosocial assessments and as motivators for health interventions.
Technical Report
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An estimated 86.0 percent of American households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2014, meaning that they had access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The remaining households (14.0 percent) were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 5.6 percent with very low food security, meaning that the food intake of one or more household members was reduced and their eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources for food. The change in food insecurity overall from the prior year (from 14.3 percent in 2013) was not statistically significant. The cumulative decline in food insecurity from 2011 (14.9 percent) to 2014 (14.0 percent) was statistically significant. The prevalence rate of very low food security was essentially unchanged from 5.6 percent in 2013 and 5.7 percent in 2011 and 2012. Children and adults were food insecure in 9.4 percent of households with children in 2014, essentially unchanged from 9.9 percent in 2013 and 10.0 percent in 2011 and 2012. In 2014, the typical foodsecure household spent 26 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. Sixtyone percent of all food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition assistance programs during the month prior to the 2014 survey.
Article
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Food banks play a major role in the food aid sector by distributing donated and purchased groceries directly to food insecure families. The public health implications of food insecurity are significant, particularly as food insecurity has a higher prevalence among certain population groups. This review consolidates current knowledge about the function and efficacy of food banks to address food insecurity. A systematic review was conducted. Thirty-five publications were reviewed, of which 14 examined food security status, 13 analysed nutritional quality of food provided, and 24 considered clients' needs in relation to food bank use. This review found that while food banks have an important role to play in providing immediate solutions to severe food deprivation, they are limited in their capacity to improve overall food security outcomes due to the limited provision of nutrient-dense foods in insufficient amounts, especially from dairy, vegetables and fruits. Food banks have the potential to improve food security outcomes when operational resources are adequate, provisions of perishable food groups are available, and client needs are identified and addressed.
Article
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"One Health", also called "One Medicine", began as an initiative advocating greater integration of human and animal medicine, in the 1800s. This concept has recently come to prominence, driven by the recognition that 75% of the newly emerging infectious diseases will arise from animal reservoirs, and that successful control and prevention will require a coordinated human medical and veterinary approach. Consequently, many One Health discussions have centered on the surveillance of animals in order to anticipate the potential emergence of new zoonotic diseases. An area that has been given only cursory mention, are the many ways that small companion animals benefit individual, community and possibly world health. The goal of this paper is to briefly review some of the evidenced-based data concerning the benefits of having companion animals in our lives, focusing on four major areas; cancer, heart disease, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the potential positive economic effects of the human-companion animal bond on One Health. Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, while ASD is a growing concern, not only for its individual effects, but also for its effect on family units, educational institutions, and its social implications for the community. In addition, these diseases can greatly affect the national and global cost of healthcare, as well as the economic output of a nation. It is therefore important to include and build on the concept of the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) as it relates to healthcare in these areas.
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This study was conducted to understand why some low-income people use pantries and others do not.Telephone and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 400 adults living in households with an income below 185% of the poverty level. Households were selected from a preliminary screening of 25,000 households in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and included 174 current pantry users and 226 nonusers. Consistent with prior research, most households using food pantries report difficulty adequately feeding their families, and pantry use appears to be evolving into a chronic issue rather than one of short-term emergency. New pantry users are likely to remain pantry users for roughly 2 years. Pantry use is highest among African-American households, single-headed households with children, and households with low levels of education. Regression analysis indicates, however, that pantry use is higher among these groups only because these households are generally the poorest. When variables for income and assets are entered into the regression equation, the only variable significantly related to the probability of using a pantry is whether or not the household owns a car.This latter finding underscores the importance of neighborhood-based pantries and localized food-distribution systems.
Article
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Summary of FindingsLack of data on visits at the practice level —For purposes of the present study, a visit was defined as ex-amination or treatment of a dog or cat at a veterinary practice. This definition was consistent with how veter -inarians said they perceived a visit. Yet, it became clear during in-depth interviews with practice owners that many veterinarians did not routinely monitor number of patient visits. In fact, only 1 of the 34 veterinarians who were interviewed knew whether visit numbers were decreasing in their practices and by how much.Many veterinarians indicated that they recognized having many open appointments on their calendar and an overall decrease in revenues were likely signs of a decrease in visit numbers, but they had not specifically evaluated number of visits to their practices. Most veteri -narians interviewed were not taking any specific actions to increase visit numbers. Many indicated that there was minimal follow-up on annual appointment reminders to clients and that there were only modest efforts, if any, to attract new clients. Finally, participants indicated that they were more likely to monitor overall revenues and average transaction charges than visit numbers and that raising fees was typically their primary or only manage-ment tactic to improve overall revenues. In contrast, we believe that when client demand is decreasing, raising fees is likely to be counterproductive.
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The continued expansion of food assistance programs makes it important to examine the sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional profiles of people relying on this service. The authors undertook such a study in a large urban centre. A total of 490 food bank users were randomly selected from a stratified random sample of 57 urban food banks in Montreal. A questionnaire and a dietary recall interview were given by a dietitian-interviewer to determine socioeconomic, demographic and cultural characteristics and macronutrient intake. These data were compared with national and provincial data. The mean age of the participants (256 men and 234 women) was 41 years; 204 (41.6%) were living alone and most (409 [83.5%]) were receiving social assistance benefits. These food bank users were well educated (190 [38.8%] had completed technical school or had a college or university education), and the sample included few elderly or disabled people. The median body mass index was greater than 24, which indicated that energy intake, although below recommended levels, was not a chronic problem. The people using the food banks had a monthly shortfall in their food budget of between 43and43 and 46. Food banks are used regularly, primarily by young healthy adults. They are though of as a necessary community resource.
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Research into the association between pet ownership and human health has produced intriguing, although frequently contradictory, results often raising uncertainty as to whether pet ownership is advisable on health grounds Introduction The question of whether someone should own a pet is never as simple as whether that pet has a measurably beneficial or detrimental effect on the owner's physical health. The emotional bond between owner and pet can be as intense as that in many human relationships and may confer similar psychological benefits. Death of a pet can cause grief similar to that in human bereavement, whereas threat of loss of a pet may be met with blunt refusal and non-compliance with advice on health. We examine the current evidence for a link between pet ownership and human health and discuss the importance of understanding the role of pets in people's lives. Is pet ownership associated with human health? Research dating from the 1980s popularised the view that pet ownership could have positive benefits on human health. Benefits ranged from higher survival rates from myocardial infarction1; a significantly lower use of general practitioner services (prompting some researchers to speculate on considerable potential savings to health expenditure)2; a reduced risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pet allergens during the first year of life3 4; a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease5; and better physical and psychological wellbeing in community dwelling older people.6 No studies have found significant social or economic differences between people who do or do not have pets that would adequately explain differences in health outcome, leading to the belief that pet ownership itself is the primary cause of the reported benefits. Although the research did much to raise awareness of the importance that people attach to their pets, recent studies have failed to replicate the benefits. A review of the association between pets and allergic sensitisation found inconsistent results for cat ownership between studies of similar design, whereas dog ownership seemed to have no effect or even protected against specific sensitisation to dog allergens and allergic sensitisation in general.7 Other studies on the subject suggest that exposure to pets may be beneficial provided that exposure is sufficient, as lower levels may enhance sensitisation whereas higher levels may protect against sensitisation.8 Yet others suggest that the effects may heavily depend on age at exposure and type of pet.9 Similarly, recent research has failed to support earlier findings that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease,10 a reduced use of general practitioner services,11 or any psychological or physical benefits on health for community dwelling older people.12 Research has, however, pointed to significantly less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets.w1 Do we need a broader definition of health? The main issue may not be whether pet ownership per se confers measurable physical benefits but the role that pets have in individual people's lives—namely, the contributions of the pet to quality of life or the costs to wellbeing through a pet's death. This issue embraces a broader definition of health that encompasses the dimensions of wellbeing (physical and mental) and a sense of social integration. Three potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the association between pet ownership and benefits to human health (fig 1).13 The first is that there is no real association between the two, rather that cofactors such as personality traits, age, and economic or health status impact on the decision to own a pet and thus produce an apparent link between pets and health. So far, however, evidence is lacking that any of these cofactors account for both health promoting attributes and propensity to own pets, suggesting that health benefits, when reported, may be attributable to some aspect of pet ownership. View larger version:In a new windowDownload as PowerPoint SlideFig 1 Three proposed mechanisms for association between pet ownership and health benefits for humans A Munduruku boy carries his pet, a domesticated wild boar, for a daily cleansing swim in the Rio Canuma Credit: GERD LUDWIG/PANOS The second proposal is that pets may enhance social interactions with other people, thus providing an indirect effect on wellbeing. Social contact has been long recognised as beneficial in that it alleviates feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Pets undoubtedly act as “social catalysts,” leading to greater social contact between people.14 These factors may be particularly important for those at risk of social isolation, such as elderly people or people with physical disabilities, who lack many of the opportunities for social interactions of their more able bodied peers.15 The third proposal focuses on ways in which pet ownership may exert a direct effect on human health and wellbeing through the nature of the relationship. Close human relationships have a powerful influence on wellbeing by providing emotional support. They may reduce perceptions of stressful events thus protecting against anxiety related illness, may give confidence that successful coping strategies can be found to deal with stress, and may enhance recovery from serious illness such as stroke, myocardial infarction, and cancer. These aspects of a relationship are collectively referred to as social support. Social relationships, or the lack of, seem to constitute a major risk factor for health, rivalling the effects of well established risk factors such as cigarette smoking, blood pressure, blood lipid concentrations, obesity, and lack of physical activity.16 The value of companionship Companionship—a commonly stated reason for pet ownership—is regarded as theoretically distinct from social support in that it does not offer extrinsic support but provides intrinsic satisfactions, such as shared pleasure in recreation, relaxation, and uncensored spontaneity, all of which add to quality of life. Thus companionship may be important in fostering positive mental health on a day to day basis, whereas social support may be of particular value in buffering threats to mental health and wellbeing from real or perceived stressors. Figure 2 illustrates the inter-relationship between functions served by pet ownership and human health outcomes.15 View larger version:In a new windowDownload as PowerPoint SlideFig 2 Correlations between questionnaire items measuring social facilitation, affectionate relationship, social support, and recipients' self perceived health in study on non-task related benefits of a trained assistance dog to people with physical disabilities. Correlations, derived from carrying out Pearson's correlation, are significant at P<0.05 Although research has primarily focused on human relationships as providing support and companionship, it is a short step to extrapolating these to pets. Studies have shown that the support from pets may mirror some of the elements of human relationships known to contribute to health.17 Although support from pets should not be regarded as a replacement for help from people, the fact that pets are not human confers certain advantages; the relationships are less subject to provider burnout or to fluctuations, and they do not impose a strain or cause concern about continuing stability. Relationships with pets seem to be of value in the early stages of bereavementw2 and after treatment for breast cancer.w3 Most pets are valued family members Credit: BARRY LEWIS/NETWORK PHOTOGRAPHERS Why pet ownership should be taken seriously The question of whether a person should acquire a pet or continue to own a pet requires careful consideration of the balance between benefits and potential problems. About half of households in the United Kingdom own pets.w4 Most are valued as family members. Conflict between health interests and pet ownership can cause non-compliance with advice on health. Some sources estimate that up to 70% of pet owners would disregard advice to get rid of a pet owing to allergies,w5 whereas reports abound of older people avoiding medical care through fear of being admitted to hospital or residential care as this often means giving up a pet.w6 Summary points Over 90% of pet owners regard their pet as a valued family member Reluctance to part with a pet may lead to non-compliance with health advice Pets may be of particular value to older people and patients recovering from major illness The death of a pet may cause great distress to owners, especially when the pet has associations with a deceased spouse or former lifestyle Many people would welcome advice and support to enable them to reconcile or manage pet ownership and health problems whenever possible The loss of a pet may be particularly distressing for owners if it was linked with a deceased spouse or if it offered companionship or social contact with people.18 For these reasons many people may appreciate help and advice on how to manage a pet in the event of a health problem in the family. Animal welfare organisations cite allergies and the fear of zoonoses as common reasons for people giving up their pets. Yet in some cases this may not be necessary. Research from the University of West Virginia shows that simple, day to day hygiene and pet care can reduce allergic reactions by up to 95%.3 A recent review of pets in nursing homes provides a comprehensive list of potential health problems and steps that can be taken to avoid these.19 People do not own pets specifically to enhance their health, rather they value the relationship and the contribution their pet makes to their quality of life.20 Greater understanding among health professionals is needed to assure people that they do not need to choose between pet ownership and compliance with health advice. Footnotes References w1 to w6 are on bmj.com Contributors and sources JMcN has special research interests in the influence of pet ownership on health and lifestyle. She was formerly based at the University of Warwick. Her current work is with Dogs for the Disabled, the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, and Cats Protection, UK. She is a member of the Society of Companion Animal Studies. AG gained his doctorate from the University of Warwick, researching the role of pets in the alleviation of loneliness. AR and SA are members of the Society of Companion Animal Studies. J-AD has a degree in psychology and is director of the Society of Companion Animal Studies. EO is chairwoman of the Society of Companion Animal Studies. References refer to primary sources located through MIMAS web of knowledge service/web of science records. JMcN wrote the article, with contributions from the other authors, and is guarantor. Competing interests JMcN received a research award, 2000-2, from Masterfoods UK to investigate the role of pets in children's health. AG was employed as a research assistant at University of Warwick, 1999-2003, funded by Waltham Centre for Animal Nutrition.References↵Friedmann E, Katcher AH, Lynch JJ, Thomas S. Animal companions and one year survival of patients after discharge from a coronary care unit. Public Health Rep 1980; 95: 30712.OpenUrlMedlineWeb of Science↵Headey B. Health benefits and health cost savings due to pets: preliminary estimates from an Australian national survey. Soc Indic Res 1998: 111.↵Ownby DR, Johnson CC, Peterson EL. Exposure to dogs and cats in the first year of life and risk of allergic sensitization at 6 to 7 years of age. JAMA 2002; 288: 96372.OpenUrlFREE Full Text↵Nafsted P, Magnus P, Gaader PI, Jaakola JJK. Exposure to pets and atopy-related diseases in the first 4 years of life. Allergy 2001; 56: 30712.OpenUrlCrossRefMedlineWeb of Science↵Anderson WP, Reid CM, Jennings GL. Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Med J Aust 1992; 157: 298301.OpenUrlMedlineWeb of Science↵Raina P, Waltner-Toews D, Bonnett B, Woodward C, Abernathy T. Influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people: an analysis of a one-year longitudinal study. J Am Geriatr Soc 1999; 47: 3239.OpenUrlMedlineWeb of Science↵Simpson A, Custovic A. Pets and the development of allergic sensitiziation. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2005; 5: 21220.OpenUrlMedlineWeb of Science↵Frew AJ. Advances in environmental and occupational diseases 2004. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005; 115: 1197202.OpenUrlCrossRefMedlineWeb of Science↵Behrens T, Maziak W, Weiland SK, Rzehak P, Siebert E, Keil U. Symptoms of asthma and the home environment. The ISAAC I and III cross-sectional surveys in Munster, Germany. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2005; 137: 5361.OpenUrlCrossRefMedlineWeb of Science↵Parslow RA, Jorm AF. Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease: another look. 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Appl Anim Behav Sci 1998; 59: 4960.OpenUrlCrossRef↵House JS, Landis KR, Umberson D. Social relationships and health. Science 1988; 241: 5404.OpenUrlFREE Full Text↵Wilson C, Turner DCollis GM, McNicholas J. A theoretical basis for health benefits of pet ownership: attachment versus psychological support. In: Wilson C, Turner D, eds. Companion animals and human health. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998: 10522.↵Robinson IMcNicholas J, Collis GM. The end of a relationship: coping with pet loss. In: Robinson I, ed. The Waltham book of human-companion animal interactions. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1995: 12743.↵Guay DR. Pet-assisted therapy in the nursing home setting: potential for zoonosis. Am J Infect Control 2001; 29: 17886.OpenUrlCrossRefMedlineWeb of Science↵Podbercek AL, Paul ES, Serpell JA, eds. Companion animals and us. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
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Food insecure households in the United States seek assistance from both public assistance and private community programs. This research examines the needs of those accessing services from a county network of food pantries in Michigan. Interviews with a stratified sample of 104 pantry users identified two distinct groups accessing food: those who began visiting food pantries within the last 24 months (over half of whom were also recently unemployed); and long-term users who are more likely to also use government programs like food stamps and WIC. Findings suggest food pantries are serving more than emergency food needs, and are responding to the food needs of two separate types of households.
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Lindsey, E. (2013). Behind the data: Pet ownership by income bracket. Retrieved from http://www. marketplace.org/2013/09/12/wealth-poverty/income-upshot/behind-data-pet-ownership-income-bracket.
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Protecting pets. In committee report: Estate planning & taxation
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