San Diego Based Organization Provides Support for Animals

Dr. Annie Petersen is the president and Chief Executive Officer of the
Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies, an organization dedicated to compassion for all animals and to foster understanding relating to the needs of animals, strengthening the relationship between human and animal, on a basis of love and compassion. She earned her doctorate in education, specifically in educational leadership and management.
The Association of Human-Animal Bond Studies is an organization dedicated to the exploration of the complex relationships between humans and animals. The organization exists to explore the relationships for the purpose of fostering understanding, to deepen empathy and to educate people to peacefully coexist with animals. They achieve this through education, animal assisted therapy outreach, and through the provision of diagnostic funding in the form of grants made direct to pet medical providers. The grants are awarded to people who need assistance with funding, addressing a financial need for pet care, so that low-income people and the underserved communities are able to provide better care for their pets. While there are a multitude of organizations which award grants for medical treatment for pets, there are not many organizations that provide grants for medical diagnostics for pets, a necessity before an appropriate treatment plan can be determined and implemented. Annie Petersen, through her non-profit, 501c3 organization is truly addressing an existing need through the provision of diagnostic grants for pet care, for pets and their guardians. The organization earned its non-profit status in 2012. Concurrently, Annie Petersen is the Operations Manager for The Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE), which is based in San Diego. According to Petersen, “FACE is fortunate enough to be able to offer the majority of its education programs free of charge.” Continuing, “During my tenure with FACE, I have created a veterinary club, as well as human-animal bond photography workshops. Through the workshops, relating to the veterinary club, I am able to introduce people to the medical care side of working with animals. Through the human-animal bond photography workshops, I help people see the beauty of photographing animals; through this, each animals beauty and fascinating nature is documented and appreciated.”
The new veterinary diagnostic fund has started to fill an enormous need in San Diego County, according to Annie Petersen. “As a small non-profit, we rely on community funding and grants. It is how we can support our programs and how we can then, disburse grant funding to pet guardians for their family members." Donations are accepted by the organization through PayPal. There is a link on their website which is available here: http://animalbondstudies.org. When assistance is needed for pet care diagnostic medical services, the application for funds is at http://www.animalbondstudies.org/category/financial-assistance-for-your-pet/.Whether making a much needed contribution to the fund, or in need of funding for a furry family member, all may contact Annie Petersen
directly at info@animalbondstudies.org.
In addition to Petersen’s work with FACE and as CEO and President of the Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies, she is developing a book consisting of curriculum for educators, and a corresponding study guide for students entitled, “Curriculum in Action - Multiculturalism and the Human Animal Bond.” Annie Petersen is still searching for the ideal publisher, planning to release this book to educators within the next six to eight months. In a recent interview, she discussed the motivation behind the creation of this book, as well as the utmost importance. “Many educators and their students truly love animals; however, sometimes there is a disconnect between that love and the actual knowledge, relating to how to best care for different kinds of animals. Many educators will take an animal from the wild, a lizard for example, and then bring them into the classroom for their students to meet them and to observe them.” Concluding, “while of course this is most often done with the best of intention, many educators are not cognizant of the trauma that this could cause for the animal.” The book is to educate many educators, while encouraging them to teach their students how to appreciate and be kind to wildlife in their natural surroundings. The curriculum is educational and inspirational, covering topics such as what makes each individual animal species unique and interesting, while simultaneously discussing the needs of different types of animals to foster a deepening of understanding and empathy. This book, through this methodology, as it relates to the human-animal bond, truly has the ability to perpetuate a deeper understanding of the beauty of animals, and to foster compassion, and respect for all sentient beings.
Working in the field of conservation education and animal welfare, Peterson shared “always being fascinated by how animals have an innate ability to help people learn, definitely regarding things such as the ability to be present and grounded." With that exists a truth that is not always apparent to or within people,” states Petersen. Through the ability to be truly present, therein lies the ability to have peace and happiness. People can truly learn a lot from animals especially when understanding is perpetuated, and when the knowledge is provided, all on a solid foundation of love and compassion. Treating all animals with empathy, love and respect for who they are as unique and special sentient beings, is a lesson from which human beings can benefit, and of course the animals. Teaching children empathy and respect through a solid human-animal bond knowledge and insight based curriculum, created from a platform of compassion, provides a solid foundation from which all can learn, leading to the betterment of society and a more compassionate, evolved place to co-exist for human and animal.
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