-
Do Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) use Human-provided Cues to Increase Foraging Success in Urban Landscapes?
Posters | Contributor(s): Aditya A. Mehta, Jeeva H. Rathnaweera
The coexistence of humans with other animals in urban and suburban areas has given rise to a spectrum of agonistic and beneficial interactions. Animals thriving in urban settings are known to exhibit superior foraging and food extraction abilities compared to their wild conspecifics. This has...
-
The Effects of Pet Therapy on Pediatric Patients with Autism
Posters | Contributor(s): Tayler Wade, Christine Hober
Objective: To identify the effects of pet therapy and improvement of social development in ASD Level 2 children. Design: Quantitative; Quasi-experimental; Descriptive Setting: Western, rural Kansas Pediatric Center Participants: Children ages 5-10 years old diagnosed with ASD Level 2, Nurses,...
-
The Importance of Coral Reefs and How to Ensure Their Longevity, a One Health Approach
Posters | Contributor(s): Lexi Shusterove, Jared Romero
Coral Reefs are large, diverse underwater ecosystems made from coral; the skeletons of colonial marine invertebrates. The reefs provide food, shelter, and areas for breeding for about 25% of the ocean's marine species. When it comes to the environment, reefs generate half of Earth's...
-
Human and Animal Interactions Education Abroad--Ireland
Posters | Contributor(s): Rhiann Travis
My STEP Signature Project was a 10-day education abroad trip to Ireland, focusing on the role of animals in our society and how history, government, geography and infrastructure can impact cultural development and the use of land and animals in different societies.
-
Ireland Human-Animal Interactions Education Abroad
Posters | Contributor(s): Lauren Hamer
For my project I took course in Human-Animal Interactions then went abroad to Ireland with the Department of Animal Sciences to do study that same thing. While abroad for 9 days we visited zoos, animal rehabilitation centers, multiple farms, the University College of Dublin, and even some...
-
Human-Animal Interactions in Ireland
Posters | Contributor(s): Emily Nelson
My STEP Signature Project was an Education Abroad program to various parts of Ireland which provided a plethora of experiences with the different types of human-animal interactions that they have to offer. The trip included visits to agricultural and production farms and facilities, zoos, and...
-
Effects of animal-assisted therapy on mental health of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
Posters | Contributor(s): Alison Thies
This project explores the potential of using animals (particularly dogs) in animal-assisted therapy( AAT) with veterans who suffer from PTSD and reports on research that shows improvement in symptoms such as regulation of emotions, perceived quality of life, social functioning, sleep patterns,...
-
The Experience of Social Workers Who Utilize Therapy Dogs in Practice
Posters | Contributor(s): Kathryn Jochems
Animal assisted therapy, which incorporates animals into structured therapeutic interventions, and its use within social work has been shown to increase social interactions, communication, and the overall health and safety of clients (Nimer & Lundahl, 2007). However, there is a gap in the...
-
Fake Service Dogs: Leading by Example
Posters | Contributor(s): Joshua Ferguson
This qualitative research examines public awareness pertaining to the protocols surrounding service dogs and their handlers, known collectively as the service team. The use of service dogs has been on the increase as more people discover the benefits provided by service dogs. The increase in...
-
Animal-Assisted Therapy and Oncology Hospice Patients
Posters | Contributor(s): Lauren Anderson
Background: If there are more ways to induce comfort during hospice care, all options should be explored, which is why animal-assisted therapy (AAT) could be a viable, non-pharmacological option for oncology hospice patients. Objectives: The aim of this research is to show that the use of AAT...
-
Canine-Assisted Therapy (CAT): A nurse-initiated program to reduce patients' perception of pain and anxiety at a critical access hospital
Posters | Contributor(s): Victoria McCue, Molly Vlach, Sherry Stathers, Clair Hefner, Theresa Worden, Julie Erickson
Background/Purpose: The use of animals to promote or improve human health and wellbeing has a long history. However, it is yet to be recognized and accepted as either a complementary therapy or integrated into mainstream healthcare. Even though studies have reported the benefits of...
-
Stress Reduction After Visiting Cats in a Cat Café
Posters | Contributor(s): Nicole L. Beasley
Research has attempted to induce stress and has been unsuccessful at demonstrating the efficacy of stress reduction. This may indicate that animal interaction is more beneficial when reducing longer-term stress rather than short-term stress, like what has been studied in the past. Additionally,...
-
Animal Assisted Therapy for Adult Domestic Violence Survivors
Posters | Contributor(s): Kaden Flynn
The focus for my research project for my Women and Gender Studies, Capstone course has revolved around Domestic Violence and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). AAT has been around since the 18th century but the benefits of it, aren’t talked about enough; when looking at what it does for adult...
-
Elephants of the Pink City, Jaipur, India: A Study of the Captive Elephant Welfare and Management Practice in Ex-Situ Environmental Conditions
Posters | Contributor(s): Ayan Sasmal
Although the arid Rajasthan desert is far from native elephant habitat, captive elephants (Elephas maximus) are managed by some private owners in Jaipur. The semi-arid Jaipur experiences a very hot summer and an extreme cold winter. Along with this, improper management practice and tremendous...
-
Effects of Therapy Dogs on Participants' Anxiety in Group Discussion
Posters | Contributor(s): Kailee Grace Renne
This study investigates the effects of animal assisted therapy, AAT, on undergraduate students with social anxiety disorder, SAD. This was an experimental research design based on a pretest, posttest model. Eight participants (3 male and 5 female) volunteered to take part in this study. All...
-
The Best Therapist Has Fur and Four Legs
Posters | Contributor(s): Jordyn Boesch, Sarah Boggs, Mark Campbell, Sarah Elam, Chelsea Hunley
-
The effect of the presence and familiarity of a dog on people's performance of a stressful task
Posters | Contributor(s): Lyn Brown
The purpose of the current study was to test whether the familiarity of a dog affects a person’s stress and task performance on a stressful task. Pets can improve people’s health mentally, physically, and socially. Dogs can lower people’s stress. This stress-reduction effect...
-
PAWS-abilities
Posters | Contributor(s): Taylor Davis, Madelyn Day, Kendall DuLaney, Jordanne Howard, Cierra Monroe, Jordan Tapp
PAWS-abilities is our non-profit business idea. Our goal for PAWS-abilities is to provide a safe environment for local stray dogs and rehabilitate them to become service or therapy dogs in the future. The trainers will be local inmates who have passed a strict screening process to ensure the...
-
Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy Among Children with Mental Health Disorders
Posters | Contributor(s): Alysa Amelio
Background: Mental health illness is on the rise amongst children in the United States. Research is still underway about alternative forms of therapy to provide to this vulnerable population. One of the alternative therapies utilized is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). Objectives: The...
-
The Bridge River Dogs: Interpreting aDNA and Stable Isotope Analysis Collected From Dog Remains
Posters | Contributor(s): Emilia Tifental
Excavations at the Bridge River site have been on-going since 2003, increasing our understanding of the communities that inhabited the Middle Fraser Canyon, British Columbia, over 1,000 years ago. The most recent excavation at Housepit 54 in the summer of 2014 supplied further data regarding...
