Our Human’s at (Another) Conference

We sent our human to the conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations in Chicago this weekend. (The veterinarians’ national conference is there too, but let’s not say that too loudly.)

She has already learned stuff!

These humans get right to work with presentations at the opening cocktail reception (which a number of therapy and service dogs attended, by the way)! Scholars and practitioners presented posters that described their work and their conclusions from it.

20130720_193048Robin told us about the research that most caught her attention from Gaylene Fasenko at New Mexico State University. Professor Fasenko started an academic program focused on companion animals. She said NMSU gave her freedom to develop the courses she thought necessary in the program. There are four courses and an internship. One of the courses is for aspiring medical professionals to understand all aspects of companion animal care and behavior, as well as the importance of the human-animal bond.

Professor Fasenko and her students are doing important research on questions that are really important for dogs and cats. For example, she has surveyed people to learn if they respond differently to people walking on the street with or without dogs. It turns out that humans are more likely to speak to humans who have a dog along with them. They are ALSO more likely to trust a human with a dog than one who doesn’t have a dog companion.

I wonder how other humans would respond if we went outside on walks with Robin?

 

 

7 thoughts on “Our Human’s at (Another) Conference

  1. Awwww that’s so pawesome that Katie Cat got to hug mewz Robin! I would let her hug and smoochie me, and would purr and nuzzle her all over. I wish I could do the same with mew Chessie and Meggy!
    Sometimes my Grandpaw lets me and my beastie boy brofur Kaspars accompany him to the park by our house, when he walks our doggie sisfur Sophie. He says it’s true he gets lots more people stopping to chat when he walks Sophie versus when he walks by himself. When my brofur and I go too, people always laugh and ask about us, how he gets us to follow along. If they have a dog, I will nuzzle it and my doggie sis Sophie gets so embarrassed by me- she tells the other dog ‘these aren’t my cats, they’re just some crazy ones who follow us!’ Can mew believe it?! Grandpaw always laughs at how she hides behind him during this!
    I bet if Robin took all of mew out on a walk, people would ooooooo and ahhhhhh over how cute and smart mew all were. They might even ask to cuddle or hold mew!

  2. M always says “anipal humans” are the best. Doesn’t make any difference if they are dog people or cat people, they are usually the kindest humans around. When M used to walk her 3-mile-a-day walk, she would often see a little old man walking his cat. He said the cat really enjoyed it and would bug him if he didn’t take it for a walk. That was the first time M had ever seen a kitty being walked on the street in a leash and harness. She walks me in the back yard, but not on the street cuz she’s afraid the cars going by might scare me..

  3. Well, mommy always thinks that humans with dogs are more trustworthy than others. Humans with cats would be even better, but you don’t see too many of those. She used to always get comments when she would go walking with her Fuz, Hephie or Rufus (all gone now, alas!)

  4. I let Robin hold me. Repeatedly. And I purr a lot. She gives the best hugs! No wonder that you love her so much!

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