Anthrozoology News
The Anthrozoology Department has many exciting updates.
The Canine Class for 2021-2022 includes seven dogs from the Lewis and Clark Humane Society, and two school facilities dogs-in-training. These school facilities dogs are being trained for local teachers and will remain in our program for training over the next two years. Once training is completed, they will accompany their teachers in the classroom.
In addition, we have four senior project canines-in-training. Two of these special dogs are training for working scent detection, one as a latex detection dog, and the other as a bedbug detection dog. Our other two senior project dogs are training for therapy dog skills and high-level obedience training.
To promote undergraduate research, Instructor Molly Sumridge is collaborating with the Canine Brains Project through Harvard's Hecht Dog Lab involving her students and their program dogs in multiple canine neuroscience and phylogeny studies.
Recently, alumna Beth Grabowski ‘20 stopped by and saw some of the recent improvements made to our facilities. “The new flooring in the canine center training room is a fantastic addition!” she writes. “It vastly improves the learning experience of both the dogs and students in the program by not only making the floor safer to walk and train on but also strongly reducing the echo in the room."
Dr. Suthers devoted her sabbatical last semester to expanding the Equine Program. New courses include a Core Practicum in Equine Facilities Management; this course is designed as a Sed Vitae experience and will introduce students to all aspects required to manage an equine facility coupled with hands-on experience. In addition, we are offering riding classes as recruitment and retention efforts. These include Beginning Horsemanship Under Saddle and Dressage: Foundation for All Riding Disciplines, Western and Classical.
Dr. Suthers was also a keynote speaker for International Healing with Horse Collective Online Symposium this spring. Her presentation, in which she facilitated an interactive all-conference forum, is leading to the development of a new course on Modalities in Equine Assisted Services (EAS). In this brainstorming session, EAS practitioners from all over the world had an opportunity to brainstorm, and learn, as well as express, what is essential to the growth and mainstreaming of healing teamwork with horses. Carroll College seeks to become a leader in preparing practitioners of Equine Facilitated Learning and Coaching.
We have also been expanding our course offerings to supplement our hands-on courses. Our newest Assistant Professor, Margo DeMello, has created three new courses: Animals in Popular Culture, Cross Cultural Anthrozoology, and Animals in American History; courses which get to the heart of the field by addressing the cultural roots of our attitudes towards animals.
Newest additions to our team are Kaitlin Schuttler, Canine Center Director, who is a 2015 Carroll College Anthrozoology graduate, and Anna Streit, Equine Center Manager, who is a 2020 Carroll College Anthrozoology graduate. We feel blessed to have these talented young women on our team!
We are also excited to announce that thanks to a generous donation of anthrozoology books and journals from Dr. Stephen Kaufman, we are building a new library for our students in the Canine Center.
Learn more about the Anthrozoology program here.
Carroll ANZ Students Present at 2021 SURF!
We are delighted to announce that six of our Anthrozoology students, each mentored by our own Professor Molly Sumridge, are presented at the 2021 SURF--Student Undergrad Research Festival! Following are the links to see the digital presentation and abstracts!
- The Donkey Problem: A Review Of Donkey History and Research As It Relates to Their Use In Donkey Assisted Therapy, by Sara Jane Melancon
- Gender Expression In the Furry Community, by Victoria Gersdorf
- The Effect of Cat Training on the Human-Cat Bond, by Beth Grabowski
- Helping Hoofs: How do Miniature Horses Compare to Dogs for Service Work, by Anna Streit
- Dog Training Electronically, by Shelbie Wilcox
- Access to Veterinary Care for Low-Income Populations, by Gwyneth Lyman
Anthrozoology in the press
- ANZ Student Alex Karbowicz Creates Photo Story about ANZ Program Dog Bowser
- Carroll College's Anthrozoology Program Welcomes New Faculty Member
- A New Course in Anthrozoology Lets Students Learn About Human and Animal Interactions
- Carroll Breaking Ground With New Perkins Call Canine Center
- First working service dog graduates from Carroll’s Anthrozoology program
- 21 dogs graduate from Carroll's anthrozoology program
- Carroll College Anthrozoology students training a service dog to help veteran
- Carroll's Anthrozoology Program Receives $1,250,000 Gift
- For military veterans suffering from PTSD, are service dogs good therapy?
- 'I hope he likes me:' Montana veteran says hello to new service dog
- Montana HB 439 plans to update current service dog law
- Carroll College Anthrozoology Program is Expanding
- Dogs rule: Animal expert argues canines initiated bond with humans
- Subscribe to the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) Quarterly Newsletter
- The best college major you've never heard of - TEDxTalk with Dr. Anne Perkins
- Retired Marine's nonprofit trains service dogs to help veterans
- Troy High School’s therapy dog Anna settling in
- Anthrozoology graduate Karin Wagemann recognized
- Carroll Receives Grant to Expand Research on Temporary Fostering Programs for Dogs
- Dogs rule: Animal expert argues canines initiated bond with humans
- Four-legged inspector joins staff at watercraft inspection station
- Helena IR: The human-animal bond: Training canine companions is focus of Carroll class
- Carroll students de-stress during finals week
- April 11-13, 2013: 3rd Veterinary Social Work Summit
Dog Spies Blog
Check out this wonderful blog series by Julie Hecht on our own master trainer Tom Brownlee. The first part is bite work, the second part was narcotics detection and the most recent post was her service dog abilities! Julie also spoke on the Carroll campus in March 2011.
Raising Your Quality of Life
The Anthrozoology major at Carroll College is the first-degree program of its kind in the nation. Can an animal raise the quality of your life? In the Yellowstone Public Radio program Home Ground, Dr. Anne Perkins explains how she initiated this exciting program, what the students learn, and what they can do with the degree.
Dr. Anne Perkins (WMA)
Dr. Anne Perkins (MP3)
Animals & the Elderly
Dr. Marie Suthers, professor of anthrozoology, was a recent presenter at the Governor’s Conference on Aging and the Montana Gerontology Society Conference, Insights into Alzheimer’s Disease: Lifespan Respite Care and Other Aging Resources and Supports.
Dr. Suthers session titled “Animals and the Elderly: The Human-Animal Relationships to Promote Successful Aging” looked at human health benefits of interaction with animals including physiological benefits such as the reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors and stress reduction, psychological benefits, social benefits and facilitation of healthy activities. Animal-assisted interventions were discussed including the positive effects of therapy animals for Alzheimer’s patients and benefits for caregivers. In addition, she introduced the concept of fish aquariums to soothe Alzheimer’s patients, increase food intake, and improve staff morale.
TEDx Talks with Dr. Megan Parker
This TED Talk was given by one of our colleagues and great friends of the program, Working Dogs for Conservation co-founder Dr. Megan Parker. In this video, she talks at length about one of our graduate program dogs, Ruger, who is now working with South Luangwa Conservation Society and the Zambia Wildlife Authority sniffing out ivory, guns, and ammunition. Carroll College graduates McKenzie Homan and Molly Rowland currently work for WD4C.