Companion Animals

Research relating to cats, dogs, birds, and other companion animals including rescue, sheltering, adoptions, and population.

grey pit bull-type dog sticking tongue out staring off into distance

Goodbye, BSL: The Public Is Changing Its Mind About Pit Bulls

Aug 11 2026 Alyssa Hanes

Pit bulls are hounded by a bad reputation in the U.S., and advocates have fought hard to rehabilitate their image. This study suggests it may be working, with more than 300 discriminatory breed-specific laws repealed since 2012. READ MORE

Goodbye, BSL: The Public Is Changing Its Mind About Pit Bulls

Aug 11 2026 Alyssa Hanes

In the Spotlight

Jul 1 2026 | Faunalytics

Faunalytics Index – July 2026

This month’s Faunalytics Index provides facts and stats about how guardians learn to train their dogs, surplus research animals in Switzerland, meat industry influence on nutrition research, and more. READ MORE

Jun 30 2026 | Jessica Whiting

Not All Companion Animals Are Seen As Equal

Animals more similar to humans are seen as more cognitively complex, a bias that may be putting the welfare of non-mammalian companion animals at risk. READ MORE

Jun 26 2026 | Meghann Cant

Chronic Underinvestment In Animal Health Puts Everyone At Risk

This report epitomizes the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” highlighting how underfunded animal health systems create cascading and costly risks for animals and people across the globe. READ MORE

Jun 12 2026 | Maria Schurr

The Complexities Of Companion Animal Surrender

Companion animal surrender is a difficult decision influenced by many factors. Understanding these factors more fully could inform interventions aimed at keeping animals with their families. READ MORE

Jun 8 2026 | Olivia Minguella

Ethical Beliefs Shape How People Train Their Dogs

A survey of 500 U.S. dog guardians explores how ethical beliefs about animals influence training methods, showing that human-centered views are linked to punishment while welfare-focused views favor gentler approaches. READ MORE

Jun 5 2026 | Alyssa Hanes

Animal Ethical Mourning: Why Animal Grief Is Disenfranchised

When people mourn the loss of an animal, their grief often goes unrecognized and unsupported — even more so when that animal lives on a factory farm or in the wild. READ MORE

Jun 3 2026 | Faunalytics

Faunalytics Index – June 2026

This month’s Faunalytics Index provides facts and stats about calves made to participate in rodeos, the effectiveness of plant-based nudges in foodservice settings, abnormal repetitive behaviors in rhesus macaques used for research, and more. READ MORE

Jun 2 2026 | Tamara Kedves

Trends In Animal Welfare Act Enforcement In The United States

Animal Welfare Act enforcement may be at its lowest point in years, driven by a Supreme Court ruling, presidential administration changes, and a shrinking federal inspection workforce. READ MORE

May 19 2026 | Jenna D'Ottavio

From Folklore To Facts: Advancing Evidence-Based Care For Captive Reptiles

This review challenges “folklore husbandry” for reptiles, revealing how science, not tradition, must guide better welfare in captivity. READ MORE

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