WALTHAM Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) Research Programme

Funding is available for researchers around the world into Human-Animal Interaction (HAI).

The Waltham Petcare Science Institute is the fundamental science centre for Mars Petcare and focuses on the nutrition and wellbeing of dogs, cats, horses, birds and fish, and their benefits to humans. The Waltham Foundation is a non-charitable organisation of Mars Petcare and seeks to advance the understanding of issues pertaining to companion animals globally.

Funding is available to support research into Human-Animal Interaction (HAI). The aim of the research is to aid in establishing the evidence base critical to fully understanding the mutually beneficial relationship between people and companion animals.

Projects linked to one or more of the following subject areas are sought for this project:

• Under-researched populations (eg Global South countries, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ community).
• Impact of HAI on mental health (eg under-researched disorders/populations, across lifespan).
• The role of technology in HAI across different populations (eg Millennials, Generation Z).

The institute is particularly interested in projects that use a combination of behavioural and physiological data collection techniques.