The Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) is advancing awareness and understanding of the interrelationships among people, other animals and the environment. Keep up with the latest news about IHAC and our work related to human-animal-environment interactions.
What's New at IHAC
November 5
Integrating Human-Animal Interaction into Wellness: Insights from the Workplace, the Classroom, and the Horse Pasture
Join the Institute for Human-Animal Connection in this quarterly research seminar and hear Dr. Nieforth discuss findings from her recent studies focused on the integration of dogs into the workplaces, pets in the classroom, and incorporating horses into personal development for veteran wellbeing. She will highlight the unique benefits and challenges of these human-animal interactions and present opportunities for the next steps.
Information Session: Animals and Human Health Certificate
Join the IHACPro team for a virtual information session about our Animals and Human Health certificate program. Even if you cannot attend live, all registrants will receive a recording of the session and a copy of the presentation slides.
Creating a Compassionate and Humane Pedagogy Course
We have a brand new online course available with NO eligibility requirements! Complete coursework entirely on your own time and at your own pace.
Designed for educators who want to bring a more compassionate, whole-systems lens into their classrooms, you will explore trauma-sensitive education, inclusion & belonging, cultural humility, and how human rights, animal protection, and environmental care all connect with practical strategies for educator well-being.
New research publication out now! Titled, "Demographic Disparities in Animal Law Enforcement: Rates and Outcomes."
Using Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) scores as a measure of community marginalization, results indicate that the most marginalized communities experience both the most cases and higher rates of punitive outcomes from animal control. Further, the Racial & Ethnic Minority Status and Socioeconomic Status SVI domains primarily influence the disparities, even when controlling for case type. Combined results highlight racial and socioeconomic inequities in animal law enforcement.
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection is excited to announce Mel Choubak (she/her/hers) has joined the adjunct faculty team for the Humane Education Practitioner professional development certificate program. Choubak is a social justice researcher and educator with a decade of experience in anti-oppression practice, community engagement and action.
Employing the healing power of animals to improve human health and wellbeing is a natural fit for the profession of nursing. Nurses have long been at the forefront of providing holistic, innovative, non-pharmacological interventions in health promotion and symptom alleviation, including animal-assisted interventions for patients of all ages.
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection’s Post-Master of Social Work Research Fellowship program provides individuals with robust training in social science research with a focus on the Human-Animal-Environment Interaction field. The Research Fellows are integral members of the IHAC Research team, with an emphasis on creating academic products that include funding proposals, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference abstracts, and other publications to formally communicate research findings and build the Fellow’s professional portfolio.
Pamela Wheeler is a licensed mental health practitioner who founded UBU Therapy Farms in Lincoln, Nebraska where children can learn socio-emotional skills and interact with animals in a therapeutic setting.
The Canine-Assisted Intervention Specialist (CAIS) Certificate at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) is one of the newest offerings in the IHACPro professional development suite of programs, and it has quickly become very popular! Professor Tedeschi spoke with us about why this program is so beneficial. “It seems to me that the biggest benefit offered to students who participate fully in the CAIS program is the ability to both understand and more accurately communicate with dogs,” stated Tedeschi.
Through our unique education opportunities students and professionals from around the world are learning ethical and effective approaches to human-animal-environment interactions. The Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) offers both graduate and professional development education certificates.
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection's research uses innovative approaches to answer seminal questions in the human-animal-environment interactions field. This year, our research team grew with the addition of three full-time staff positions. We produced several reports and publications, including: 10 peer-reviewed publications and 3 other publications, with 6 additional manuscripts submitted or under review.
At the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, we are enthusiastic about this new Ecological Justice concentration at DU as it complements our work exquisitely. We have long promoted that human health and wellbeing will only be realized through creating healthy human relationships with the natural world and with all other species.
Signature Events
Research Seminar Series
Our quarterly seminars feature a wide variety of speakers and topics with an emphasis on social justice issues.
The IHAC and Green Chimneys co-hosted conferences present the latest research, best practices, and future directions of human-animal-environment interactions, and inspires attendees to rethink human relationships with other animals.
