Pauleen Bennett

Pauleen Bennett
Born (1963-10-13) 13 October 1963
Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia
Residence Australia
Citizenship Australian
Fields
Institutions
Doctoral advisor Kim T Ng
Doctoral students
  • Fleur Dwyer
  • Linda Marston
  • Keven Kerswell
  • Jordan Schaan
  • Jacqui Ley
  • Vanessa Rohlf
  • Kate Mornement
  • Mia Cobb
  • Tammie King
  • Tiffani Howell
  • Corinne Alberthsen
  • Janette Collier

Pauleen Charmayne Bennett (born 13 October 1963) is an Australian scientist researching anthrozoology at Latrobe University in Victoria, Australia.[1]

Bennett's research in the field of human-animal interactions has informed government policy and covered areas of: human attitudes, health and behaviour; ethics of animals in society; animal behaviour, physiology and welfare. Her research interest lies in understanding the diverse psychological connections between humans and animals, particularly companion animals, positive psychology, and in the use of animals in human health therapies.[2][3]

In 2002, Bennett founded the Anthrozoology Research Group,[4] an interdisciplinary team of postgraduate and undergraduate researchers[5] with over one hundred peer-reviewed journal and conference publications. She is chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation,[6] a non-profit foundation set up to raise research funding for students investigating the potential benefits for human health of engaging with companion animals. Bennett was the first Australian, and first academic outside of the USA, to be elected to serve as the President of the International Society for Anthrozoology[7] (2011–2015) and is on the editorial board for the international peer-reviewed journal, Anthrozoös.

Early life and education

Pauleen Charmayne Bennett was born in Ivanhoe, Victoria on 13 October 1963. She grew up on her family's poultry farm near the Mornington Peninsula, on the south-east outskirts of suburban Melbourne. In the immediate years following high school, Bennett held an amateur jockey's licence and rode racehorses in training for a while, before enrolling in simultaneous Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and Bachelor of Behavioural Science with Honours (Psychology) degrees at LaTrobe University, where she received numerous accolades for best performance over the course of her degrees (1989–1994). Bennett went on to earn a Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) in 1999 from La Trobe University, while concurrently gaining her PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience, for her thesis on the role of protein serine/threonine phosphatases in memory formation,[8] from Monash University in 2000.[9]

Work in anthrozoology

Bennett changed her research focus from the neurosciences to anthrozoology in the Department of Psychology in 2002, as a member of the faculty of Monash University, working in collaboration with the Animal Welfare Science Centre. Her review of the issues surrounding cosmetic tail docking of dogs and finding "that the theory of cognitive dissonance...may provide a useful framework within which to understand, and attempt to alter, attitudes that persist even though they appear contrary to available empirical evidence" coincided with a national ban on tail docking of dogs in all states of Australia under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Welfare Acts.[10][11][12][13] Bennett's subsequent collaborations and postgraduate supervision have resulted in research in the areas of dog-owner relationships,[14] canine personality,[15] the modern role of companion animals,[16][17][18][19] improving rehoming outcomes for shelter animals,[20][21][22][23][24] and factors relating to successful and unsuccessful pet ownership practices.[25][26][27]

Bennett has a strong commitment to knowledge transfer and has been instrumental in the development of several courses. In 2006, she was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at Ohio State University to develop and deliver the undergraduate 'Animals in Society' course, providing students from diverse academic backgrounds with the critical thinking skills required to address controversial issues concerning animals in contemporary societies. She also led development of the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare offered by the Animal Welfare Science Centre.

Current positions

Bennett is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Regional Operations at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Victoria (Australia). She is chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation,[28] President of the International Society for Anthrozoology,[29] and serves on the editorial board for the international peer-reviewed journal, Anthrozoös.[30]

Personal life

Bennett lives in regional Victoria outside of Bendigo with her partner, Ron Wheeler, and their collection of dogs, horses, goats and one cat. She used to farm alpacas, is a certified pet dog training instructor and is a registered dog breeder, having bred Jack Russell Terriers, Australian Shepherds and Lagotto Romagnolos under the kennel name of HevnSent.[31] It was Bennett's personal appraisal of the breed standard requirement to dock her puppies' tails, and subsequent review of the complex attitudes related to the issue of tail docking in dogs,[32] that prompted her to change her professional focus from the neurosciences to pursue improved understanding of human-animal interactions in the inter-disciplinary field of anthrozoology.[33]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.latrobe.edu.au/scitecheng/about/staff/profile?uname=P2Bennett Staff profile La Trobe University
  2. ↑ http://theconversation.com/why-science-cant-really-tell-us-whether-pets-are-good-for-health-9043 Why science can't really tell us whether pets are good for health (The Conversation)
  3. ↑ http://www.humananimalscience.com.au/positive-psychology/ Human Animal Science: Positive psychology and the role of animals
  4. ↑ "Anthrozoology Research Group". Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.anthrozoologyresearchgroup.com/about/members/ Profiles of Anthrozoology Research Group members
  6. ↑ "Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation". Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  7. ↑ International Society for Anthrozoology http://www.isaz.net
  8. ↑ http://search.lib.monash.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=catau21173172610001751&indx=1&recIds=catau21173172610001751&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&vl(41902380UI0)=creator&vl(41902381UI1)=all_items&scp.scps=scope%3A%2861MONASH_AU%29%2Cscope%3A%28catcarm%29%2Cscope%3A%28arrow%29%2Cscope%3A%28arrow%29%2Cscope%3A%28MUA%29%2Cscope%3A%28catau%29%2Cprimo_central_multiple_fe&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1407977424244&vl(freeText0)=%20Pauleen%20%20C.%20%20Bennett%20%20%28%20Pauleen%20%20Charmayne%29%2C%201963-&vid=MON&mode=Basic
  9. ↑ http://www.anthrozoologyresearchgroup.com/about/director-pauleen-bennett/
  10. ↑ "Tail docking in dogs: can attitude change be achieved?". Australian Veterinary Journal 81: 277–282. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2003.tb12575.x.
  11. ↑ http://kb.rspca.org.au/Is-the-tail-docking-of-dogs-legal_277.html
  12. ↑ http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/pets/dogs/legal-requirements-for-dog-owners/prohibited-procedures-on-dogs
  13. ↑ http://kb.rspca.org.au/Why-is-the-RSPCA-opposed-to-the-tail-docking-of-dogs_135.html
  14. ↑ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2006/00000019/00000003/art00004 Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale
  15. ↑ "A refinement and validation of the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire". Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116: 220–227. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.09.009.
  16. ↑ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ufaw/aw/2010/00000019/A00102s1/art00003 Challenges and paradoxes in the companion-animal niche
  17. ↑ "Describing the ideal Australian companion dog". Applied Animal Behaviour Science 120: 84–93. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2009.04.011.
  18. ↑ http://www.latrobe.edu.au/scitecheng/about/staff/profile?uname=P2Bennett The modern work of dogs: what is it and how does it influence dog behaviour and welfare, ISAE 2009
  19. ↑ "Breeding dogs for beauty and behaviour: Why scientists need to do more to develop valid and reliable behaviour assessments for dogs kept as companions". Applied Animal Behaviour Science 137: 1–12. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2011.11.016.
  20. ↑ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888705.2010.483856#.U-wNsfmSxDw A Review of Behavioral Assessment Protocols Used by Australian Animal Shelters to Determine the Adoption Suitability of Dogs
  21. ↑ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2012/00000025/00000004/art00005 What Do Current and Potential Australian Dog Owners Believe about Shelter Practices and Shelter Dogs?
  22. ↑ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327604jaws0701_2#.U-wN8_mSxDw What Happens to Shelter Dogs? An Analysis of Data for 1 Year From Three Australian Shelters
  23. ↑ "Reforging the bond—towards successful canine adoption". Applied Animal Behaviour Science 83: 227–245. doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(03)00135-7.
  24. ↑ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888700902955948#.U-wN-fmSxDw Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne, Australia
  25. ↑ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2010/00000023/00000002/art00004 Why Do Even Committed Dog Owners Fail to Comply with Some Responsible Ownership Practices?
  26. ↑ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888705.2010.483871#.U-wOq_mSxDw Dog Obesity: Can Dog Caregivers' (Owners') Feeding and Exercise Intentions and Behaviors Be Predicted From Attitudes?
  27. ↑ http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/pets/care-and-welfare/research/victorian-pet-keeping-practices Pet-care practices in Victoria, 2013: a survey of bird, cat, dog and rabbit owners.
  28. ↑ "Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation". Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  29. ↑ International Society for Anthrozoology http://www.isaz.net
  30. ↑ http://www.latrobe.edu.au/scitecheng/about/staff/profile?uname=P2Bennett La Trobe University Profile
  31. ↑ "HevnSent website". Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  32. ↑ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2003.tb11473.x/abstract Tail docking in dogs: a review of the issues
  33. ↑ http://theveterinarian.com.au/?p=1400| 'Adventures in Anthrozoology' by Anne Fawcett, for The Veterinarian
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