402 Benefits of Human Animal Bond: An Overview of HABIT
Health, Wellness, Medici | Registration opens 8/4/26 9:00 AM EDT
The human-animal bond has its basis in biology, and that biology can impact many areas of human cognitive and emotional development. Animal-assisted interactions can be used to easily relieve emotional pain that occurs in communities from depression, loneliness, and boredom. Animal-assisted activities improve the lives of people who enjoy the human-animal bond from elementary school-aged students to those in the last stages of life, either in memory care or hospice. Learn how HABIT offers animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy to enhance quality of life and learning at all stages of human experience.
Ruth Sapp
Ruth Sapp is the Program Coordinator for Human Animal Bond in Tennessee (HABIT), a volunteer, community-based outreach program of The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Her degree is in Organizational Management with 22 years’ experience working with volunteers. She has been with HABIT since 2008 and worked with HABIT dogs Sugar and Ballou, Pembroke Welsh Corgis. In her role of program coordinator, she is continually learning how animal-assisted activities improve quality of life for those who receive visits from medically and behaviorally screened pets provided by HABIT, as well as how those pets’ lives are enhanced by work with their handlers.