What is Anthrozoology.
Vivian Zottola, MSc, CBCC | 617.721.8025
Anthrozoology, also known as human–nonhuman-animal studies (HAS), is the subset of ethnobiology that deals with interactions between humans and other animals. It is an interdisciplinary field that overlaps with other disciplines including anthropology, ethnology, medicine, psychology, social work, veterinary medicine, and zoology. A major focus of anthrozoologic research is the quantifying of the positive effects of human–animal relationships on either party and the study of their interactions.[1] It includes scholars from fields such as anthropology, sociology, biology, history and philosophy.[2][3][4]
Anthrozoology scholars, such as Pauleen Bennett recognize the lack of scholarly attention given to non-human animals in the past, and to the relationships between human and non-human animals, especially in the light of the magnitude of animal representations, symbols, stories and their actual physical presence in human societies. Rather than a unified approach, the field currently consists of several methods adapted from the several participating disciplines to encompass human–nonhuman animal relationships and occasional efforts to develop sui generis methods.
Areas of Study
Growth in the Field
There are currently 23 college programs in HAS or a related field in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands, as well as an additional eight veterinary school programs in North America, and over thirty HAS organizations in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Israel, Sweden, and Switzerland.
In the UK, the University of Exeter runs an MA in Anthrozoology which explores human–animal interactions from anthropological (cross-cultural) perspectives. Human animal interactions (HAI) involving companion animals are also studied by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, which partners with the US National Institutes of Health to research HAI in relation to child development and aging.[7]
There are now three primary lists for HAS scholars and students—H-Animal, the Human-Animal Studies listserv, and NILAS, as well as the Critical Animal Studies list.
There are now over a dozen journals covering HAS issues, many of them founded in the last decade, and hundreds of HAS books, most of them published in the last decade (see for example, Humanimalia). Brill, Berg, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Columbia, Reaktion, Palgrave-Macmillan, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, and Oxford all offer either a HAS series or a large number of HAS books.
In addition, in 2006, Animals and Society Institute (ASI) began hosting the Human-Animal Studies Fellowship, a six-week program in which pre- and post-doctoral scholars work on a HAS research project at a university under the guidance of host scholars and distance peer scholars. Beginning in 2011, ASI has partnered with Wesleyan Animal Studies, who will be hosting the fellowship in conjunction with ASI. There are also a handful of HAS conferences per year, including those organized by ISAZ and NILAS, and the Minding Animals conference, held in 2009 in Australia. Finally, there are more HAS courses being taught now than ever before. The ASI website lists over 300 courses (primarily in North America, but also including Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and Poland) in twenty-nine disciplines at over 200 colleges and universities, not including over 100 law school courses.
References[edit]
Anthrozoology scholars, such as Pauleen Bennett recognize the lack of scholarly attention given to non-human animals in the past, and to the relationships between human and non-human animals, especially in the light of the magnitude of animal representations, symbols, stories and their actual physical presence in human societies. Rather than a unified approach, the field currently consists of several methods adapted from the several participating disciplines to encompass human–nonhuman animal relationships and occasional efforts to develop sui generis methods.
Areas of Study
- The interaction and enhancement within captive animal interactions.
- Affective (emotional) or relational bonds between humans and animals
- Human perceptions and beliefs in respect of other animals
- How some animals fit into human societies
- How these vary between cultures, and change over times
- The study of animal domestication: how and why domestic animals evolved from wild species (paleoanthrozoology)[5]
- Captive zoo animal bonds with keepers
- The social construction of animals and what it means to be animal
- The zoological gaze[6]
- The human–animal bond
- Parallels between human–animal interactions and human–technology interactions
- The symbolism of animals in literature and art
- The history of animal domestication
- The intersections of speciesism, racism, and sexism
- The place of animals in human-occupied spaces
- The religious significance of animals throughout human history
- Exploring the cross-cultural ethical treatment of animals
- The critical evaluation of animal abuse and exploitation
- Mind, self, and personhood in nonhuman animals
- The potential human health benefits of companion animal ownership
Growth in the Field
There are currently 23 college programs in HAS or a related field in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands, as well as an additional eight veterinary school programs in North America, and over thirty HAS organizations in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Israel, Sweden, and Switzerland.
In the UK, the University of Exeter runs an MA in Anthrozoology which explores human–animal interactions from anthropological (cross-cultural) perspectives. Human animal interactions (HAI) involving companion animals are also studied by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, which partners with the US National Institutes of Health to research HAI in relation to child development and aging.[7]
There are now three primary lists for HAS scholars and students—H-Animal, the Human-Animal Studies listserv, and NILAS, as well as the Critical Animal Studies list.
There are now over a dozen journals covering HAS issues, many of them founded in the last decade, and hundreds of HAS books, most of them published in the last decade (see for example, Humanimalia). Brill, Berg, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Columbia, Reaktion, Palgrave-Macmillan, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, and Oxford all offer either a HAS series or a large number of HAS books.
In addition, in 2006, Animals and Society Institute (ASI) began hosting the Human-Animal Studies Fellowship, a six-week program in which pre- and post-doctoral scholars work on a HAS research project at a university under the guidance of host scholars and distance peer scholars. Beginning in 2011, ASI has partnered with Wesleyan Animal Studies, who will be hosting the fellowship in conjunction with ASI. There are also a handful of HAS conferences per year, including those organized by ISAZ and NILAS, and the Minding Animals conference, held in 2009 in Australia. Finally, there are more HAS courses being taught now than ever before. The ASI website lists over 300 courses (primarily in North America, but also including Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and Poland) in twenty-nine disciplines at over 200 colleges and universities, not including over 100 law school courses.
References[edit]
- ^ Mills, Daniel S. "Anthrozoology" Archived 2016-06-03 at the Wayback Machine, The Encyclopedia of Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare. CABI 2010, pp. 28–30.
- ^ DeMello, Margo. Teaching the Animal: Human–Animal Studies Across the Disciplines. Lantern Books, 2010, p. xi. and Hurn, Samantha. Humans and Other Animals. Pluto Press, 2012.
- ^ Animals & Society Institute. Archived June 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Accessed February 23, 2011.
- ^ Note: the term should not be confused with "animal studies," which often refers to animal testing.
- ^ College of Zoological Studies at London Hanover University - Paleoanthrozoology: Domestication of Species [1] Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Adrian Franklin (20 September 1999). Animals and Modern Cultures: A Sociology of Human–Animal Relations in Modernity. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-0-7619-5623-5. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Processes in Social & Affective Development: Human–Animal Interaction (HAI) Research". Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). December 30, 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- Animals and Society Institute
- Anthrozoology Research Group
- H-Animal
- Human-Animal Studies listserve
- Humanimalia: a journal of human-animal interface studies
- NILAS
Animal Behavior Training, a rewarding profession that offers life long continued learning
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Thank you to all who have allowed me to ride their wings and others who have shared the gift of teaching me to heal others. I will always be indebted to you. Thank you scientists, teachers, mentors, friends and employees. I've been blessed to learn from you all. -Vivian |
Why I chose the human animal bond as a profession
You may have noticed a wolf on the front of my website. The reason for using this picture among many was to relay regardless if engaging with a wild or domesticated companion animal, the principals of learning and managing expectations through the use of kind, reward based methods is the same. We cannot force a predator including wolves or dogs to do anything however can negotiate. This is the beauty of positive reinforcement and free shaping used in modern training.
Years ago while volunteering at a Boston Animal Shelter I came across the adorable puppies pictured to the left. My responsibility was to feed, walk and provide basic training to surrendered dogs. These little love bugs were given up because there was no room or money to care for them at home. So many dogs were surrendered over the few years I volunteered with the shelter. Some were adopted, others suffered kennel stress and many more euthanized because there was no room. Owner reported reasons for surrender included moving, having a child, the dog was too old, someone had developed an allergy, inappropriate urination, jumping up on people, pulling on walks, barking and lunging at people, crying when alone and on and on. One person even claimed the dog did not fit in her purse anymore. Yes, this is true.
I remember the dogs, the smells and the howling cries. The experience still haunts me to this day. Having experienced it all first hand, I greatly respect and admire shelter volunteers and staff. Care taking this population is difficult. It is heart wrenching and sometimes dangerous work. And it requires individuals remain compassionate to both the humans and the dogs regardless. While it was one of the most challenging time it was also the best experience of my life because it helped me view the world through a different lens. It was that year in 2009, that I made the decision to redirect my life and career from a lucrative but unfulfilling job in corporate America to starting my own dog walking and training business. The next step would be to earn my certifications in reward and science based dog training. Interested in pursuing a professional career I earned a certification in dog training, advanced certifications in behavior and learned from some of the most respected canine scientists, animal trainers and veterinarians. The pet dog training profession is NOT standardized (unregulated) however, I was blessed to be guided by some of the most lovely people in the industry.
Over fifteen years have passed since I took this picture and I love it because it reminds me of the instant I made the decision to dedicate my professional career and life helping humans and pet dogs resolve complex behavior and communication challenges. Where this journey takes me I haven't a clue but I do know I am enriched and challenged every day working with dogs and the people who love them. Thank you for choosing humane, science based positive reinforcement training. And thank you for making a difference in your dogs life.
Vivian Zottola, CBCC
Years ago while volunteering at a Boston Animal Shelter I came across the adorable puppies pictured to the left. My responsibility was to feed, walk and provide basic training to surrendered dogs. These little love bugs were given up because there was no room or money to care for them at home. So many dogs were surrendered over the few years I volunteered with the shelter. Some were adopted, others suffered kennel stress and many more euthanized because there was no room. Owner reported reasons for surrender included moving, having a child, the dog was too old, someone had developed an allergy, inappropriate urination, jumping up on people, pulling on walks, barking and lunging at people, crying when alone and on and on. One person even claimed the dog did not fit in her purse anymore. Yes, this is true.
I remember the dogs, the smells and the howling cries. The experience still haunts me to this day. Having experienced it all first hand, I greatly respect and admire shelter volunteers and staff. Care taking this population is difficult. It is heart wrenching and sometimes dangerous work. And it requires individuals remain compassionate to both the humans and the dogs regardless. While it was one of the most challenging time it was also the best experience of my life because it helped me view the world through a different lens. It was that year in 2009, that I made the decision to redirect my life and career from a lucrative but unfulfilling job in corporate America to starting my own dog walking and training business. The next step would be to earn my certifications in reward and science based dog training. Interested in pursuing a professional career I earned a certification in dog training, advanced certifications in behavior and learned from some of the most respected canine scientists, animal trainers and veterinarians. The pet dog training profession is NOT standardized (unregulated) however, I was blessed to be guided by some of the most lovely people in the industry.
Over fifteen years have passed since I took this picture and I love it because it reminds me of the instant I made the decision to dedicate my professional career and life helping humans and pet dogs resolve complex behavior and communication challenges. Where this journey takes me I haven't a clue but I do know I am enriched and challenged every day working with dogs and the people who love them. Thank you for choosing humane, science based positive reinforcement training. And thank you for making a difference in your dogs life.
Vivian Zottola, CBCC