The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS)

12/04/2025

April is National Pet Month! And the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) will be contributing several posts to the campaign. Beginning with,
“The Science of Companionship: Why Pets Make Our Lives Better, By Parizad Baria-Unwalla”
https://nationalpetmonth.org.uk/news/the-science-of-companionship:-why-pets-make-our-lives-better-

National Pet Month (NPM) celebrates and raises awareness of responsible pet ownership through our educational campaigns and resources across our various platforms. NPM celebrates pet ownership, sharing the many benefits of our cherished companions across the UK.

11/04/2025

Do you have a way with words and experience with web design and web-based communications? Are you passionate about the relationships between people and animals? Are you looking to gain experience and broaden your CV? If so, the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) has the perfect opportunity for you! We are looking for two Volunteer Communications Officers to help us deliver our ambitious communications plan through development of the SCAS website. This role will give you the opportunity to learn about the creative process of developing web-based science content, its promotion and management, through guidance and practical experience. You will help the SCAS communications team to maintain the organisation’s high profile with positive and trusted communications which engage current and potential future members as well as the wider public looking for information about Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) and Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI). We anticipate this will take approximately 4-8 hours a week, worked flexibly from home.

To apply, or for further information, please send your CV and a cover letter to Victoria Turner, SCAS Administrator, by email to [email protected], with the header: “Comms Officer Application".

The closing date for applications is 30 April 2025.
Download the full role descriptions here:

• Comms Officer Generic role: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u9Ycnt5IA8fJ_Y7dH-4jrHVfrrryQMih/view?usp=drive_link
• Comms Officer Membership focused role: https://drive.google.com/file/d/188lOHLNGaHIos65NDmcFqyciDq6kmop5/view?usp=drive_link

10/04/2025

Do you have a name suggestion for a toolkit designed to support older pet owners?

The Society for Companion-Animal Studies is working with the Open University of the Netherlands to adapt the Dutch PET@home toolkit (Pets and Elderly Toolkit for long-term care at Home) to support (older) pet owners who receive home to provide the best care to their pets and plan for their future.
The toolkit includes an information booklet for pet-owning care recipients and their families, as well as resources for home care workers. These include a checklist for care planning discussions, leaflets on animal welfare and communication, conversation cards, and an implementation guide.

However, the name used in the Netherlands is already taken by another organisation in the UK! That’s why we’d love to hear your suggestions for a great name for this supportive toolkit for pet owners receiving home care. Feel free to share your ideas with us!

The toolkit will be available to download and use for free from summer 2025.

Comment below or email suggestions to [email protected]

08/04/2025

In the latest SCAS-authored Katzenworld Blog, Sandra McCune considers how cats can help us de-stress and feel calm:
https://katzenworld.co.uk/2025/04/07/sandra-mccune-from-the-society-for-companion-animal-studies-scas-considers-how-cats-can-help-us-de-stress-and-feel-calm/

Many people suffer from social isolation and anxiety. The pandemic exacerbated these challenges, particularly among teenagers who have faced stressors associated with remote learning, disruptions in schooling, and disconnection from peers. These factors have heightened the risk of developing social....

04/04/2025

You may be experiencing problems logging into our SCAS webpages! Apologises, our website is very out of date. However, our volunteers are working hard to build a brand-new website. For now, if you experience issues accessing any of our pages so you can try the “refresh” button.

04/04/2025

Join the Critical Cat Cafe to meet SCAS member Dr. Sandra McCune, who will talk about the influence of personality on welfare in confined cats.
https://catacademicthinktankorg.wordpress.com/the-critical-cat-cafe-_/cat-cafe-with-sandra-mccune/
The Critical Cat Café =^_^= is an online 'science café' for anyone interested in the study of cat behaviour, the cat-human bond, and cat-human relations. Organised by the Cat Academic Think Tank (e-CATT), the third Café is welcomes special guest Dr. Sandra McCune.
Monday, 14 April 2025 (14:00-15:30, UK time)
Register here: https://forms.gle/Ppn55nMkdTPVXJc2A

Dr Sandra McCune and Worzel Dr. Sandra McCune has kindly agreed to join the Critical Cat Café in 2025 to talk about the influence of personality on welfare in confined cats. 14 April 2025(14:0…

31/03/2025

Many workplaces are becoming more open to the benefits of having dogs in the office. Research indicates pet-friendly workplaces may increase employee well-being and collaboration, as well as playing a key role in recruitment and retention. This new article outlines these benefits, explains the risks, and offers suggestions for how to develop a pet-friendly policy for your workplace. Bringing Your Dog to Work: The Benefits of a Pet-Friendly Office

The benefits of a dog-friendly office can help create a stress-free environment and even promote team building. Learn the benefits of bringing your dog to work.

23/03/2025

Happy National Puppy Day everyone! This is SCAS member Sandra McCune’s Dougal, a puppy 7 years ago. Share your puppy photos from now or when they were little!

20/03/2025

The IAAHPC & Human-Animal Interactions Journal are teaming up for a special issue on Veterinary Hospice, Palliative Care & the Human-Animal Bond. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/journal/hai/special-issues/veterinary-hospice-human-animal-bond
Deadline 14th April 2025.

🐾 Calling all researchers & veterinary professionals! 🐾

The IAAHPC & Human-Animal Interactions Journal are teaming up for a special issue on Veterinary Hospice, Palliative Care & the Human-Animal Bond—and we want YOUR expertise!

📢 Now accepting submissions:
🔹 Original research (qualitative & quantitative)
🔹 Review papers & case studies
🔹 Short communications & perspectives
🔹 Innovative approaches in hospice care
🔹 Insights into the human-animal bond

⏳ Submission deadline: April 14, 2025

Your research can shape the future of compassionate veterinary care. Learn more & submit today!

🔗https://buff.ly/40dk6v0

17/03/2025

For those of you on BlueSky, please follow us:

SCAS was established in 1979 to promote the study of human-companion animal interactions and raise awareness of the importance of pets in society. https://www.scas.org.uk/

08/03/2025

Online 1-day Conference on “Training and Preparing the Dog for AAS: International Standards and Good Practice. 12 March 2025. Free, but places limited:

The information you provide on this form will only be used to provide you with updates about AAS. Your privacy is important to us! Please let us know how you would like to stay in touch:

27/02/2025

The SCAS Winter Newsletter has been sent. Members check you email! (you may need to check junk mail and adjust settings to receive via Mailchimp).

22/02/2025

Dr Rebecca Niemiec and Dr Lori Kogan are recruiting a master's or PhD student starting in Fall 2025 to conduct social science research on animal-human interactions as part of the Animal Human Policy Center. The CSU Animal-Human Policy Center (AHPC) was founded in 2024 and focuses on conducting social science research to help policymakers and government agencies facilitate positive relationships between animals and humans.

Potential topics of PhD/master's projects may include: 1) understanding public perspectives on key animal welfare issues among farmed animals and wildlife (including fur farming, factory farming, and carnivore hunting); 2) examining how the perspectives of the public and animals can be integrated into deliberative, participatory processes for decision-making about wildlife; or 3) examining the challenges preventing families from keeping and caring for their pets and the human health and animal welfare impacts of keeping bonded human-animal families together. Please review the list of current AHPC projects here before applying and indicate which projects are of most interest in your application. https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/animalhumanpolicy/home/projects/

The selected student will be getting their degree via the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department in the Warner College of Natural Resources and will have guaranteed funding for 2 years via a graduate teaching assistantship.

Please email your CV, letter of interest, and a writing sample to Dr Niemiec ([email protected]) and Dr Kogan ([email protected]) by March 1st to apply.

19/02/2025

SCAS-funded research from the 2022 funding round is now published in Disability and Rehabilitation. Congrats to Joanna Foster, Danielle Stephens-Lewis, and Kimberley C. Schenke for their paper “Profiling hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS): factors in health and wellbeing with chronic conditions and opportunities for improving self-management”!

Factors affecting physical and psychological outcomes for those with chronic conditions are complex, extending beyond medical symptomology to numerous demographic influences. Living with hypermobil...

18/02/2025

https://animal.movementforgood.com/index.php?cn=1070938&ct=Animals and Wildlife

Nominate a charity for a Movement for Good award now.

17/02/2025

Please consider nominating The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS)!

I just nominated a charity to win £5,000..

16/02/2025

This ISAZ International Society for Anthrozoology award recognises a student (undergrad to PhD) for their commitment to scholarship in human-animal interaction and animal-assisted intervention.
The PJ-Hart Student Scholar Award is named in honor of Dr. Aubrey Fine’s dedicated therapy dogs. PJ and Hart played a significant role in supporting children through the therapeutic process and helping them address psychosocial challenges.

The PJ-Hart Student Scholar Award recognizes a student for their commitment to scholarship in human-animal interaction and animal-assisted intervention