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CHAI Featured in VCU News

Friday, March 3, 2023

Rounds with hounds: Medical students research and participate in dog therapy via VCU’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction.

The four-week, fourth-year rotation has students shadow Dogs on Call dog-handler teams and join research projects examining the impact of the program on patients. Gee hopes that the students and residents walk away understanding not just the benefits of the program, but the scientific evidence supporting it.

Kruszewski, J. (2023, March 3). Rounds with hounds: Medical students research and participate in dog therapy via VCU’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction. VCU News. https://news.vcu.edu/article/2023/03/medical-students-research-dog-therapy-via-vcus-center-for-human-animal-interaction

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CHAI Research Featured in Psychiatry Unbound

Friday, March 3, 2023

Companion animals.

...this idea of Lassie saving Jimmy from the well, right? That's fiction. And we need people to respect the animals for who they are. They're unique and impressive, and they can do a lot of really incredible things, but they're not fictional characters. And so really understanding the power of the actual animal, the reality of the actual animal, and respecting the animal for what they bring to the table.

Roberts, L. (Host). (2023, March 3). Companion Animals [Audio podcast episode]. In Psychiatry Unbound. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://psychiatryonline.org/psychiatry-unbound/022-companion-animals

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CHAI Featured on ABC8

Thursday, March 2, 2023

‘Dogs on Call’ brings paw-sitivity to VCU’s Medical Center.

When Margaret Popik visits the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center with her eight-year-old Golden Doodle Elsa, she says Elsa is the main attraction. “I feel like I’m walking around with the Beatles or Taylor Swift because people run to you. We call it getting love bombed,” Popik said. “People light up, and they come over. I am always ready with hand sanitizer.”

Barefoot, A. (2023, March 2). ‘Dogs on Call’ brings paw-sitivity to VCU’s Medical Center. WRIC ABC8 News.  https://www.wric.com/community/positively-richmond/dogs-on-call-brings-paw-sitivity-to-vcus-medical-center/

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Book Publication by American Psychiatric Association Publishing

Thursday, February 16, 2023

The role of companion animals in the treatment of mental disorders

Although millions of pet owners will vouch for the benefits of companion animals, the decision about whether to implement animal-based interventions for mental disorders is not always a simple one... This robust volume features detailed discussion of topics that include human-animal interactions in specific patient populations and settings, as well as best practices for ensuring animal welfare and well-being, with an emphasis on understanding applicable laws and regulations.

N. R. Gee, L. Townsend, & R. Findling (Eds). (2023). The role of companion animals in the treatment of mental disorders. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9781615379910

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CHAI Featured in VCU News

Monday, February 13, 2023

Canine cupids: When VCU Dogs On Call volunteers hand out valentines, recipients get a dose of their unconditional love.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Dogs On Call therapy dogs know a lot about love and affection — they spend their days warming the hearts of patients, visitors, students, faculty and staff. The highly trained fuzzballs, along with their human handlers, visit the VCU Medical Center and other VCU Health clinical facilities as well as student events on campus to spread their love and calming presence to anyone who needs a feel-good moment.

Frisa, E. (2023, February 13). Canine cupids: When VCU Dogs On Call volunteers hand out valentines, recipients get a dose of their unconditional love. VCU News. https://news.vcu.edu/article/2023/02/canine-cupids