APDAWG Presents: Power of the Human-Canine Bond

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Join APDAWG, The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) & Our Special Friends (OSF), as they celebrate the power of the human-canine bond.

Although humans have worked in partnership with & enjoyed the companionship of dogs since prehistoric times, it is only in the last 50 years that the human-animal bond has been subject to serious scientific study. Most research to date has focused on interactions with dogs & it evidences important health & social benefits across lifespan. Experts are now applying this new knowledge to create Animal-Assisted Service programmes to support vulnerable groups. 

At this meeting our speakers, eminent in the field of anthrozoology, will describe programmes that support older people, children, psychiatric patients & young offenders. Careful planning is essential to ensure programmes are sustainable & help them reach their potential; plus ensure the safety & welfare of participants, incl. the animals. SCAS is updating its Code of Practice for Animal-Assisted Services, which provides guidance on safe interactions & advises that regulation of these activities is now required.

Thanks again to generous sponsors Agria Pet Insurance, we will all be able to continue these important conversations after the event at a nearby bar with drinks & food.

Guest Speakers 

Dr Bin Johnston, Founder and CEO, Our Special Friends

in Johnston founded and runs the Suffolk UK charity, ‘Our Special Friends’, providing human-animal support services in the community and developing the new role of an Animal Companionship Practitioner; to bridge human and animal health and social care. Providing multidisciplinary community support for people and animals experiencing vulnerability ensures their welfare needs are identified and met.

Dr Elizabeth Ormerod, Chair, The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS)

Elizabeth chairs the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS). A vet, she pioneered bond-centred vet practice & introduced Animal-Assisted Services to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, sheltered housing & prisons. Elizabeth co-founded Canine Partners & she's also a Churchill Fellow, received the William F McCulloch award for excellence in human-animal interactions & was CEVA UK Vet of the Year 2021.

Dr Rebecca Leonardi, Founder of Paws for Progress.

With 15 years expertise developing mutually beneficial dog-assisted learning programmes, Rebecca's PhD research established the UK's first prison-based rescue dog training programme at HMP YOI Polmont in 2011, which continues to thrive alongside Paws for Progress’ expanding services for young people & dogs. Rebecca continues advancing the field & raising standards through research, communication & international consultancy, incl. as Honorary Research Fellow at University of Stirling

Dr Helen Lewis, Associate Professor of Education at Swansea University

Helen has over 25 years of experience in education. She leads a module on the ethical involvement of animals in education & researches school-based canine practices. Co-author of Tails from the Classroom (2021) & Dogs in School (2024), Helen holds specialist certifications in canine interventions & animal-assisted play therapy. As Chair of the National School Dog Alliance, she champions best practices in animal-assisted education.

Angela Barker, Canine Befrienders

Angela has a Master’s degree in mental health practice & over 18 years’ experience of working in NHS mental health services. Angela has been around dogs all her life, has a Diploma in dog behaviour & has rescued/rehabilitated a no. of dogs. She founded the Canine Befrienders service which provides temperament assessed dogs, alongside their handlers, to spend time with patients & staff within South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Kerstin Meints, Professor in Developmental Psychology (University of Lincoln), Head of Lincoln Education Assistance with Dogs (LEAD@Lincoln).

Kerstin's interdisciplinary research focuses on child development & human-animal interaction, especially dog bite prevention & animal-assisted interventions. She co-created & assessed dog bite prevention programmes (Blue Dog), as well as safety & welfare tools for animal-assisted interventions (dog body language, LEAD Risk Assessment). Kerstin is also Development & Behaviour Research Group lead & Director of Lincoln Infant & Child Development Lab. 

Lucy Eldred, CEO Canine Partners 

Canine Partners (CP) is a registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs & other highly trained dogs. CP's amazing dogs bring a greater independence & quality of life to their partners, offering security, companionship & practical help with everyday household tasks. These life-changing dogs also provide psychological & social benefits incl. increased independence, confidence, social interaction & self-esteem. 

Tracie Faa Thompson, Cofounder International Association of Animal Assisted Play Therapy (IAAPT)

Social worker & play therapist Tracie, along with Dr. Risë VanFleet, brought together the modalities of play therapy, animal-assisted therapies & other disciplines to co-create Animal Assisted Play Therapy® (AAPT) as a positive, cohesive & ethical play therapy approach. They co-wrote the Maxwell Award-winning book, 'Animal Assisted Play Therapy' in 2017. Tracie is an Applied herbal choices animal health professional consultant, certified Animal Ethology & Behaviour consultant with animal & human wellbeing core to her work. incl. scope of practice for humans working in Animal Assisted Services.