Pets help create healthy communities

Photo Credit: Alonso Nichols/Tufts University

Caring for an animal may have a positive effect on youth development and their community and social interactions, according to a paper published online last week in Applied Developmental Science. 

"Our findings suggest that it may not be whether an animal is present in an individual's life that is most significant but rather the quality of that relationship," said the paper's author, Megan Mueller, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist and research assistant professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. "The young adults in the study who had strong attachment to pets reported feeling more connected to their communities and relationships." 

More than 500 participants aged 18-26 were surveyed with the results demonstrating that people who reported greater care for animals were also more likely to be involved in their communities and serve in leadership roles. Higher levels of attachment to an animal in late adolescence and young adulthood were also associated with feelings of connectivity, empathy and confidence. 

Take a chance on adoption!

Staff of the SPCA of Wake County in North Carolina created a video showcasing their shelter, several adoptable animals and the heartwarming experience of adoption and donation. 

Budweiser scores touchdown for pet experience

Check out Budweiser's 2014 Superbowl commercial. Talk about positive pet experiences! #PEPTalk

Healthy communities for people and pets

A U.K. fitness program is offering boot camp classes for people and their dogs to help both get on the right track for the new year. 

Paw Camp by NuBeginnings incorporates activities and cross-training courses designed to shed weight on canines and the people who love them. 

"It is estimated by veterinary charity PDSA that 22.5% of the pets in the UK are overweight," Victoria Willis, founder of NuBeginnings told Metro UK. "It's often the case that an owners eating and exercise habits are reflected in their pet." 

Activities such as this are one step closer to creating healthy communities for pets and people and will undoubtedly enhance positive pet experiences. More than one delegate at the 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies cited a lack of opportunities to be active with your pet as a roadblock to a positive pet experience. 

Why We Rescue

Three years ago, photographer Theron Humphry adopted a coonhound to accompany him on his journey across the U.S. to photograph ordinary life. Since then, Maddie has become his inspiration and primary subject. 

Humphry's book, Maddie on Things, was published in 2013 and features the dog cooperatively posing on a variety of objects in locations across the U.S. His experience with Maddie was the inspiration behind Humphry's latest photography project to shoot animal rescue stories. 

Why We Rescue is a yearlong story-telling documentary that is traversing across all 50 states highlighting how pets change lives for the better. Several images from each story are posted on the Why We Rescue site along with a voiceover interview of rescue stories. 

"This project is an opportunity to share everyday stories on how those pets can open our homes and hearts to the world."

Humphry's Instagram feed, where rescue and Maddie photos are regularly posted, boasts a healthy 330,000+ following. 

The Pet Experience Project has set out to discover the pet experiences - both good and bad - of urban animal communities. Why We Rescue is positioned to capture rescue elements of the experiences sought by Urban Animal collaborators and offer both heartwarming and thoughtful stories.