The Center for Human-Animal Interaction

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Richmond, VA
The Center for Human-Animal Interaction

The Center for Human-Animal Interaction at VCU School of Medicine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization housed in the Department of Psychiatry.

Founded in June 2001, our mission is improved health and well being through human-animal interaction. CHAI's research goal is to increase knowledge of the benefits of the human-animal interaction through interdisciplinary research. We are a recognized pioneer in the area of researching health benefits of human-animal interaction with many studies published internationally in scholarly journals. CH

AI's clinical goal is to enhance health and well being through animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and pet visitation. Our popular therapy dog program, Dogs On Call (www.facebook.com/dogsoncall), provides visits to patients throughout the VCU Medical Center and our research documents the positive impact of these visits. We also provide pet loss counseling groups for clients of participating veterinary and other facilities. CHAI's educational goal is to improve understanding of the benefits of the human-animal interaction. We provide guest lectures in educational settings, occasional practicum or internships, and are often invited to make presentations to local, national, and international audiences.

04/17/2026

Did you know? Just 10 minutes of petting a dog can significantly reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone. Dogs are anti-stress. Science says so.

04/14/2026

A massive, tail-wagging thank you to the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Because of you, we can keep our tails wagging. You are the “Good Boy” of sponsors! Do you have a group who would like to sponsor Dogs on Call? Email us at chai@vcuhealth.org.

04/14/2026

Read about our recent "Ruff on Lyme" event, held during Research Week 2026, to discover how Virginia Commonwealth University's groundbreaking research is providing our Center for Human-Animal Interaction's furry volunteers with free Lyme disease vaccines thanks to Zoetis: https://tinyurl.com/zrvdakum 🐾

04/11/2026

National Pet Day. The Super Bowl of liking animals. We know they aren’t just pets. They are roommates who don’t pay rent and scream at the mailman. Today, we celebrate every therapy dog who clocks in to bring joy, and every house pet who keeps the couch warm. You’re all doing great work.

04/07/2026

Researchers are urging city planners to treat animals as integral parts of the urban ecosystem. Designing cities to seamlessly facilitate human-animal interactions (such as pet-inclusive housing, community green spaces, and accessible animal services) has been shown to enhance community inclusiveness, promote physical activity, and improve the subjective well-being of city residents. Article in the comments below!

04/06/2026

Happy National Student Athlete Day. Being a therapy dog is an athletic feat. You have to hold a “Sit” while a stranger makes high-pitched noises at you. That is core strength and mental fortitude. That is an Olympic sport. Shout out to all the student athletes at VCU and beyond balancing books and ball games today!

04/05/2026

Today is National Go for Broke Day. Usually, this means risking everything. We suggest a safer risk: Risk falling in love with volunteering. We are always recruiting new teams for Dogs on Call. Do you have a dog? Is that dog nicer than most people you know? “Go for broke” and reach out to us today!

04/02/2026

A massive, tail-wagging thank you to Iron Bridge Animal Hospital . Because of you, we can keep our tails wagging. Do you have a group who would like to sponsor Dogs on Call? Email us at chai@vcuhealth.org.

03/31/2026

03/30/2026

To the doctors who heal, comfort, and save lives: We see you, and we appreciate you. 🩺 Happy Doctor’s Day! We are honored to walk beside you in the halls. Thank you for welcoming us onto your teams.

03/19/2026

“I brought H.I. to visit a young patient paralyzed below the neck who had not spoken since his admission. Communicating with eye blinks, the patient consented to having H.I. on his bed. Placed at the foot of the bed, H.I. gently walked to the patient's head, lying with his body circling the patient's head. The patient smiled and began rolling his head from side to side against H.I. and the dog did the same. I was later informed that when the young man's parents arrived, his first words were, ‘I want a dog.’”

- Shared by Dr. Sandra Barker

Address

1200 E Broad Street
Richmond, VA
23298

Website

http://www.chai.vcu.edu/

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Our Story

The Center for Human-Animal Interaction (CHAI) was established in the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in June of 2001, and was the first Center of its kind in the nation to be established in a School of Medicine. CHAI accomplishes its mission through several core programs and offered services.

CHAI's research goal is to increase knowledge of the benefits of the human-animal interaction through interdisciplinary research. We are a recognized pioneer in the area of researching health benefits of human-animal interaction with many studies published internationally in scholarly journals. CHAI's clinical goal is to enhance health and well being through animal-assisted interventions (AAI). Our therapy dog program, Dogs On Call (www.facebook.com/dogsoncall), provides visits to patients, their families and staff throughout the VCU Medical Center and other VCU Health facilities. Our research documents the positive impact of these visits with 99% of patients finding the visits helpful. CHAI's educational goal is to improve understanding of the benefits of the human-animal interaction. We provide guest lectures in educational settings, occasional practicum or internships, and are often invited to make presentations to local, national, and international audiences.