Nestlé Purina PetCare announced it has awarded research grants to three scientific teams from the U.S. and Hungary as part of its biennial Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies program. Each project will receive up to US$40,000 to advance understanding of the bond between pets and people and its impact on the wellbeing of both.
Purina reviewed more than 100 research proposals to select the 2026 research grant recipients. This year, preference was given to studies exploring how the bond supports people in vulnerable situations, how human-animal interactions influence the wellbeing of pets themselves, and how to deepen knowledge of the connection between people and cats.
The 2026 Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies research grant recipients are:
Understanding the Human-Animal Bond in IPV-Affected Households: Impacts on Survivor Healing, Pet Welfare and Service Provision
Principal Investigator: Jennifer A. Wagman, PhD, MHS, at the Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
This 18-month mixed-methods study will examine how the human-animal bond contributes to psychological resilience and healing among survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), while also assessing impacts on companion animal welfare. Integrating survivor interviews, key informant insights and human-animal bond questions into a statewide survey reaching approximately 1,000 Californians who have experienced IPV, this research has implications for global public health, where similar barriers to pet-inclusive sheltering exist.
Findings will inform trauma-responsive, pet-inclusive care practices and be shared through publications, training materials and community-oriented webinars in collaboration with nonprofit RedRover.
In Your Absence: Investigating Separation-Related Disorders in Companion Cats
Principal Investigator: Paula Pérez Fraga, PhD, Eötvös Loránd University Institute of Biology in Budapest, Hungary
Led by one of Europe's animal behavior research groups, this project will conduct the first large-scale, direct observational study of cat separation-related disorders (SRDs) using a global citizen-science model. By gathering video submissions and survey data from cat owners worldwide, the study will examine risk factors – including feline personality and owner interaction styles – and produce the first high-resolution ethogram of feline separation behavior.
These insights will support international veterinary professionals, behaviorists and cat owners in identifying and addressing SRDs and strengthening the human-cat bond.
Designing an Inclusive Model: Remote Canine-Assisted Therapy for Underserved Pediatric Oncology Patients
Principal Investigator: Judit Abdai, PhD, at the Hungarian Ethology Foundation at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary
This study will evaluate a Remote Canine-Assisted Therapy (RCAT) model enabling safe, real-time interaction with trained dogs for pediatric oncology patients who cannot participate in in-person therapy due to immunosuppression or infection risk. Using a counterbalanced crossover design, researchers will measure psychosocial outcomes such as motivation, mood and anxiety.
The remote model has global scalability, offering a pathway to expand therapy access to children in rural regions, underserved communities and countries without an established therapy dog infrastructure, while also protecting therapy dog welfare.
"Receiving this research grant from Purina is an honor for our team," said Dr. Jennifer A. Wagman, 2026 Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies grant recipient and Associate Professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. "The grant will provide crucial support to study how pets can help survivors of intimate partner violence heal, while also ensuring that the animals themselves are safe and supported. We are excited for the ways this work can make a real difference in people's lives."
Since its launch in 2016, the Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies program has awarded $1.2 million to support a diverse range of international studies exploring how the human-animal bond influences both people and pets.
Previous grant recipients have examined the genetics behind canine "hyper-sociability" and its potential to improve adoption matches in shelters; investigated how solicited versus forced touch affects the wellbeing of both dogs and humans to strengthen standards for Animal Assisted Interactions; explored how attachment to pets may help protect women with histories of childhood abuse from psychological and social disorders; and evaluated whether therapy dog programs can support student mental health without compromising the welfare of the animals involved.
Purina and its team of nearly 500 pet experts, including nutritionists, behaviorists and veterinarians, invest more than $100 million annually in research to help pets live longer, healthier lives.
According to Petfood Industry's Top Pet Food Companies, Nestlé Purina PetCare manufactures various pet care products, including Dog Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Friskies and Tidy Cats. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than US$150 million toward organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help communities and environment thrive.
