Established in the VCU School of Medicine in June 2001, the purpose of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction is to provide a formal structure for and promote interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research, clinical practice, and educational activities related to the human-animal relationship.

Our Mission

Improved health and well being through human-animal interaction.

To achieve our mission, our research goal is to increase knowledge of the benefits of the human-animal interaction through interdisciplinary research.

Our clinical goal is to enhance health and well being through animal-assisted therapy and pet visitation.

Our educational goal is to improve understanding of the benefits of the human-animal interaction.