By Ava Ahrens

This year, the Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology (HSHP) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences launched the Human-Animal Interactions for Wellbeing Collaborative, a new initiative co-directed by Clinical Associate Professor Adrienne Johnson and College of Education Associate Professor Katy Schroeder. The collaborative brings together professionals across counseling, health care, training and ethical practice surrounding animal-assisted interventions. 

For HSHP, the collaborative represents a significant step in advancing human-animal interaction work on campus, supporting student learning, strengthen community engagement, and contributing to a growing field committed to well-being for both humans and animals.

Johnson’s path to this work is shaped by a long career in therapeutic recreation, spanning community, clinical, and educational settings. Her background includes directing Easter Seals Iowa recreation programs, supporting adaptive sport initiatives through Special Olympics Iowa, and working as a cancer exercise specialist. These roles helped her recognize the value of integrated therapeutic approaches and the growing potential of animal-assisted interventions. Johnson explained, “[I] consistently observed that when multiple therapeutic methods were integrated, including emerging practices such as animal-assisted interventions (AAI), engagement increased and clients made more meaningful progress toward their goals.”

Her approach to teaching and curriculum development carried this commitment into HSHP. Johnson explained, “Working in HSHP has shaped how I think about the role animals can play in both student learning and student support.” She said, “In my courses, I’ve seen how therapy animals not only help students manage stress and feel more connected, but also enhance engagement, curiosity, and participation in the classroom.”

When Johnson later became a certified Pet Partners Therapy Animal Team with her dog, Drax, the connection between human-animal interaction and HSHP’s mission became clear. She said, “Integrating Drax into my teaching reinforced that animals can meaningfully enhance not only student well-being, but also engagement, motivation, and the overall learning process.” 

Johnson’s work with Drax has also provided direct insight into the impact animals can have on classroom dynamics and student support. “I’ve seen Drax transform the energy of a classroom the moment he walks in,” she said. “Students are more likely to stop by to see Drax but then stay to ask questions.” 

The idea for the collaborative emerged when Johnson and Schroeder realized that human-animal interaction work was occurring across the university, but in isolation. “We realized that only a small handful of people across campus were doing work related to human–animal interaction, and that we could accomplish far more by coming together,” Johnson said. “Interest in AAI is increasing across both campus and the community, but in many cases, practice has moved faster than policy, research, or shared standards.” 

The collaborative is designed to address the gap between policy and practice. Its goals include strengthening ethical frameworks, developing shared risk-management tools, expanding applied research models, and improving interdisciplinary communication. By drawing together experts from multiple disciplines, the collaborative aims to establish a consistent foundation for responsible and effective AAI across campus and community settings.

Johnson describes the vision clearly: “Ultimately, we designed this initiative to bring together scholars, practitioners, and community partners who have been doing this work in isolation—building a cohesive, collaborative network that supports innovation, shared learning, and stronger outcomes for both humans and animals.”

Each spring, the course, TR:3300 Animal-Assisted Interventions for Helping Professions gives students direct exposure through visits to community partners including the Iowa City Animal Shelter, Miracles in Motion, Kitty Corner Social Club, Witwer Children’s Therapy, and the Cedar Rapids School District. These experiences allow students to observe ethical, evidence-based AAI across diverse settings and populations.

Looking ahead, Johnson envisions the collaborative as a hub for shared research, expanding training opportunities, and deeper community partnerships.

“Five years from now, I envision a campus where ethical, evidence-based animal-assisted intervention is woven seamlessly into both academic and community practice,” Johnson said. “With sustained scholarship, grant-funded initiatives, and collaborative program development, we can help create best-practice models that are shared across both university departments and community organizations.”