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 This study suggests it may be working, with more than 300 discriminatory breed-specific laws repealed since 2012.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 24 2015 | karol orzechowski

Making Matches: Evaluating Cat Behavior In-Shelter Can Lead to Better Adoptions

Evaluating cat behavior in shelters can have a positive effect on one of the greatest risks to successful adoptions: unrealistic expectations of adopters. READ MORE

Jul 20 2015 | karol orzechowski

Your Cat’s Favourite Band: Getting Down With Species Appropriate Music

Cats prefer music that is species-specific, fitting with their rhythms, rather than human music made for human ears. READ MORE

Jul 17 2015 | karol orzechowski

Companions During Wartime: Dogs Adopted During Deployment

Some soldiers in the field will go to extraordinary lengths to help stray dogs, and even bring them back home, though the relationship is likely to be mutually beneficial. READ MORE

Jul 10 2015 | karol orzechowski

Helping Shelter Dogs Through Behavioral Evaluations: A Case Study from Belgium

Identifying key aspects of a dog's behavior can help in finding a suitable human companion, and shelter programs can be geared towards adoption success. READ MORE

Jul 5 2015 | karol orzechowski

Understanding Animal Cruelty: The Dark Triad

Younger male respondents who report committing acts of animal cruelty rate higher in narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy (the 'Dark Triad.') READ MORE

Jul 1 2015 | karol orzechowski

Do Therapy Dogs Help or Hinder Psychotherapy?

Therapy dogs are known to calm nerves and assist human patients with various maladies, and new research suggests they may help in trauma therapy as well. READ MORE