As a mental health therapist and former animal welfare worker, I have a deep interest in helping those struggling with the emotional pain that sometimes comes with this unique, rewarding, and challenging career or lifestyle. The reality of pet overpopulation, animal abuse, dog fighting, factory...
When we live with, care for, work with, and protect animals, we often find ourselves forming deep attachments to them. This special connection, known as the human-animal bond, is described by the American Veterinary Medical Association as a “mutual beneficial and dynamic relationship between people...
Throughout our lives, the brain has the amazing ability to change itself. From conception to old age, our brains are continuously reorganizing their functions, connections, and neural pathways. This process, known as neuroplasticity, is what allows us to grow, learn, and adapt to our environments....
From hamsters to horses, more than 60 percent of Americans share their home with at least one pet. As a nation, we spend more than 50 billion dollars on our animal companions each year, which is more than double the amount spent just 15 years...