A new study done by the University of Missouri shows that regardless of age, pet owners have no problem exercising and they enjoy it, but the question is whether the same applies to foster pet parents.
The Veterinary News reported that researchers from the University of Missouri received a grant from the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition. They will try to find out if foster parents display the same positive health benefits as regular pet parents. The program will be run by UM Veterinary School’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, and the idea is to pair an older adult with a foster dog from the shelter until they are placed in a permanent home.
“Older adults often are hesitant to adopt dogs because they are afraid they will outlive them, because they travel too much or don’t want the responsibility,” says Rebecca Johnson, director of the research center. “In this study, we will partner these older adults with shelter dogs and determine if the foster owners receive the same benefits as those who own dogs.”
Researchers will be focusing on any changes in the foster parents’ “health, physical activity level and mood.”
UM researchers are partnering with the Central Missouri Humane Society and Second Chance animal shelters to provide foster dogs, food, veterinary care, and a 24-hour hotline.
Image courtesy of UM Veterinary School’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction
