02/16/2026
Hail to the Chief… Barker! Happy Presidents’ Day. Did you know many Presidents had dogs in the White House to help manage the stress? We do the exact same thing here at the hospital.
The Center for Human-Animal Interaction
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- 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.
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1200 E Broad Street
Richmond, VA
23298
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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.
