TTU Human-Animal Interaction Lab

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United States
Lubbock, TX
TTU Human-Animal Interaction Lab

Seeks to improve the welfare of companion animals and the well-being of their human counterparts. https://linktr.ee/ttu_hai_lab

05/15/2026

Congratulations to Ilea Chapman for graduating as an Outstanding Senior in Animal Science!

Ilea has been an integral part of the Texas Tech Animal Behavior Clinic, and we are so excited to see her begin her next journey as a veterinary student at Texas A&M this fall!

🎓🎉

05/06/2026

What shapes how veterinarians handle dogs during exams?

Our latest paper explored this question through in-depth interviews with veterinarians about their real-world experiences.

🔍 What we found:

🐾 Handling decisions reflect a balance between patient needs, safety, time pressures and clinic constraints

🩺 Even though veterinarians value stress-reducing handling, it is not always perceived to be feasible

🧠 The well-being of veterinarians and workplace factors play important roles in how dogs are handled

🐶 Improving dog welfare isn’t just about training - it also means supporting veterinary teams and individuals in ways that allow stress-reducing practices to be applied effectively.

Read the full paper in our bio!

03/30/2026

Looking for cat parents in Lubbock 🐱

If you have a cat that’s 1 year or older, we would love for you to join our study on cat water consumption using scented water bowls!

Incentives are included as part of your participation. ✨

Tap the link in our bio to register!

03/23/2026

Save the date! Dr. Anastasia Stellato will be presenting a seminar on some of our lab’s exciting research on veterinary handling practices, well-being, and dog and owner experiences! See our bio for the Zoom link to join the seminar online on April 2 at 12:00pm EST! 🐾🩺🐶

03/18/2026

🐈 Cat owners of Lubbock needed for new study! 🐈

The TTU Human-Animal Interaction Lab is exploring ways to reduce unwanted scratching in companion cats.

Learn more at bit.ly/CatScratchStudy

Please share with any cat owners you think may be interested!

01/12/2026

📣 Starting off 2026 with a new publication! ⁣
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This study in the American Journal of Veterinary Research examined what factors shape professional quality of life among companion animal veterinary professionals 🐾⁣
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Key findings: ⁣
🔹 Most professionals reported moderate compassion fatigue, even while many experienced compassion satisfaction ⁣
⁣
🔹 Personality traits (e.g., extroversion, conscientiousness) were associated with compassion fatigue ⁣
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🔹 Veterinary support staff (e.g., technicians) were more likely to have higher burnout than veterinarians ⁣
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Together, these findings point towards the need for individual- and workplace-level strategies to better support veterinary well-being. ⁣
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Read the full article - link in our bio!

01/06/2026

Do you own a puppy and live in the United States or Canada?

The TTU-Human-Animal Interaction and the Canine Olfaction Lab invite you to participate in a survey exploring the risk factors associated with inappropriate chewing in puppies.

To take part, please click the link in our bio. Participants will also have the opportunity to enter into a separate drawing for $100 gift card. 🎉

Please share this survey with all the eligible participants!

11/10/2025

Texas Tech’s first-ever Animal Welfare Judging & Assessment Team competed at the 24th Annual international contest!

🏆 Bianca Metallo – 4th overall individual (Graduate Division)
🏆 Christopher Jarrett – Top Interactive Assessment (Undergraduate Senior Division)
👏Emily Webberson and Aaron Jimarez, whose dedication and insight were instrumental to our team’s success

Huge thanks to our coaches — Dr. Anastasia Stellato and Dr. Kristina O’Hanley — for their mentorship and commitment to building TTU’s first Animal Welfare Judging & Assessment Team. ❤️🐾

10/20/2025

🐾 Calling all Lubbock dog owners!
Texas Tech students in ANSC 4411: Advanced Animal Behavior and Training are offering FREE dog training classes— open to the community!

Spots are limited, so click the link in our bio to learn more and register you and your pup today! 🐶❤️

10/14/2025

Publication Alert! 📢

Does your dog often avoid drinking water? 💧
Scented sleeves attached might be the simple trick to make hydration a little more exciting! 🐶✨

Our new research shows that dogs have individual scent preferences, and adding preferred scented sleeves to the base of their water bowls can encourage them to drink more.

A simple enrichment strategy that supports hydration and overall well-being — especially for dogs at risk of dehydration or existing health issues.

🔗 Read more through the link in our bio.

Address

1308 Indiana Avenue
Lubbock, TX
79409

Website

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/afs/hai/

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