New Research Reveals Powerful Health Benefits of Dog Companionship

GREENFIELD, Ind., Feb. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), in collaboration with Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine, today released preliminary research findings that support the power of the human-animal bond.

The preliminary study results, which were shared during a presentation at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) in Orlando, Fla., show that in addition to the physical benefits service dogs provide their owners, they also contribute to emotional and psychosocial well-being.

This new research on the human-animal bond is part of a four-year primary research study on the emotional and health benefits of service dogs to their recipients. The goal of the three-part study is to produce groundbreaking evidence-based research documenting the "pet effect" – the impact of the human-animal bond on mental health and well-being.

"Innovative research is key to protecting both human and animal health," said Dr. Heidi Hulon, consulting veterinarian for Elanco. "Elanco understands the powerful role healthy animals play in making lives better, and this research has the potential to empower veterinarians and all those concerned with animal health to enrich the lives of people worldwide by supporting programs that promote the human-animal bond."

The research project is led by Maggie O'Haire, assistant professor of human-animal interaction at Purdue's College of Veterinary Medicine. The team also includes Ph.D. candidate Kerri Rodriguez and postdoctoral research fellow Jess Bibbo. O'Haire also leads Purdue's Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research (OHAIRE), [https://vet.purdue.edu/chab/ohaire/] which includes national and international collaborators, students, and community members working together to conduct rigorous scientific research on the unique and pervasive effects of interacting with animals. 

"Even though the benefits of service dogs for those with physical disabilities are well-recognized, the emotional and psychosocial effects are largely unknown," O'Haire said. "There is a wealth of positive anecdotal information but comparatively few data-driven scientific measures of how dogs affect their human companions' sense of well-being. We hope to fulfill the critical need for additional research on this topic."

Researchers worked with Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization dedicated to education and placement of service dogs with children and adults who have physical disabilities or other special needs. Elanco has been a sponsor of Canine Assistants since 2015.

Research Methodology 
The study compared service dog recipients and their family members with people who are on a waiting list for service dogs and their families. Study participants completed an online survey about their emotional and psychosocial functioning. More than 300 surveys were returned – 187 from those who had received service dogs, and their families and 118 from recipients on the waitlist and their families. 

Additionally, the study evaluated the emotional and psychosocial benefits of the human-animal bond for family members (parents, caregivers and spouses) of service dog recipients. 

Summary of Preliminary Research Findings 
Preliminary findings of the study indicate:¹

• Recipients of a service dog showed a higher overall quality of life as well as better emotional, social and work/school functioning than recipients who had not yet received a service dog.
• Family members with a service dog in the home exhibited better social and emotional functioning as well as decreased worry as a result of the recipient's health than family members on the waitlist.
• Family members with a service dog also exhibited better management of daily family activities than family members on the waitlist.
• No differences were found between the two recipient groups in three other categories:  anger, companionship and sleep disturbance. 

"These preliminary findings are not surprising, but they are very significant," said O'Haire. "There is a wealth of positive anecdotal information on this topic, but comparatively few data-driven scientific measures of how dogs affect their human companions' sense of well-being. The research is a critical step in determining if these results are applicable to a broader range of pet owners."

Additional research is underway continue to confirm the initial results of this study, and provide the information to scientifically verify the benefits of the human-animal bond. This research is considered to be a critical step in providing much needed scientific evidence as a basis for fostering more serious attention to human-animal bond dynamics and related issues and policy concerns.

For more information about Elanco's commitment to celebrating and supporting the human-animal bond, visit CelebrateTheBond.com.

About Elanco
Elanco provides comprehensive products and knowledge services to improve animal health and food-animal production in more than 70 countries around the world. We value innovation, both in scientific research and daily operations, and strive to cultivate a collaborative work environment for more than 6,500 employees worldwide. Together with our customers, we are committed to raising awareness about global food security, and celebrating and supporting the human-animal bond. Founded in 1954, Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Company. Our worldwide headquarters and research facilities are located in Greenfield, Indiana. Visit us at Elanco.com.

About Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine seeks to advance global animal and human health and well-being through excellence in learning, discovery and engagement. Home to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the college is a major referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases. Faculty research both animal and human health, with an emphasis on infectious diseases and immunology; cancer; neuroscience; musculoskeletal biology and orthopedics; and animal welfare science and the human-animal bond. The college also is one of only a few nationally that educate all members of the veterinary team, offering the doctor of veterinary medicine degree as well as bachelor's and associates degrees in veterinary technology, post-graduate internships and residencies for veterinarians seeking specialty training, and graduate degrees in the departments of Basic Medical Sciences, Comparative Pathobiology, and Veterinary Clinical Sciences. For more information, visit www.vet.purdue.edu.

About Canine Assistants
Canine Assistants is a non-profit service-dog school based in Milton, Georgia whose mission is to educate and empower people and dogs so they may enhance the lives of one another. Canine Assistants has graduated over 2,000 service dogs from the program and has placed them free of charge with both children and adults. Jennifer Arnold is the founder of Canine Assistants and the creator of the Bond-Based Approach^® to interspecies relationships and author of Love is All You Need: The Revolutionary Bond-Based Approach to Educating Your Dog. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Through a Dog's Eyes, which was the subject of a PBS documentary, and In a Dog's Heart.

¹ O'Haire, M. E., Rodriguez, K. R., & Bibbo, J. B. (2016). Study #1 Preliminary Report. Celebrating the Bond: An Empirical Evaluation of Psychosocial Outcomes for Service Dog Recipients.

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