Current Studies

We are currently looking for volunteers to participate in the following study opportunities!

Don’t see anything that fits? Sign up here to learn about future opportunities as they become available.

Dogs

Family Dog Animal-Assisted Intervention Study for Children with Developmental Disabilities

Oregon State University researchers are seeking children 10-17 years old with developmental disabilities and their pet dogs to participate in a dog-training animal-assisted intervention research program.

During the school year, we run a 5-week session in the winter and the spring in Corvallis. We have summer sessions in Corvallis, Portland, and Seattle that run for either 2 weeks or 5 weeks.

Click here to learn about our upcoming sessions

Cats

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Pandemic Pet Attachment

How has the pandemic impacted your pets? Help us understand pet behavior and how human-animal bonds were impacted by the events of the past two+ years. We are seeking cats adopted before and during the pandemic (March 2020 and after) to participate in a 30 minute study. The study is held in our lab on the OSU campus. If interested please email Hallie Shean at sheanh@oregonstate.edu.

Disinhibited Attachment in Cats

This study is being conducted in tandem with the Pandemic Pet Attachment Study to observe how cats behave when in the presence of an owner and stranger. More specifically, this study is interested in indiscriminate proximity seeking behavior when conducting a Paired Attachment test. 

Family Cat Animal-Assisted Intervention Study for Children with Developmental Disabilities

We are looking for families who have a child with developmental disabilities between the ages of 10-12 years and a family cat at least 2 months old to participate in a 6-week animal-assisted intervention research program.

Click here to learn more

Other Animals

Rabbit Survey

What motivates your rabbit?

We are interested in learning how your rabbit and how rabbits in general are motivated. Help us understand by filling out this survey.

Elephant-Keeper Attachment and Behavior

This research is investigating the effects of a captive elephant’s familiarity with their keeper on their social behavior around that keeper. This research will be done with the four African elephants at Wildlife Safari in Oregon.