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Pauleen Bennett
Born (1963-10-13) 13 October 1963 (age 61)
Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia
CitizenshipAustralian
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions
Doctoral advisorKim T Ng

Pauleen Charmayne Bennett (born 13 October 1963) is an Australian scientist researching anthrozoology at La Trobe 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 US, 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

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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 La Trobe 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

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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

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Bennett is currently a professor and head of Department of Psychology and Counselling at La Trobe University, Victoria (Australia).[28] She is chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation, former president of the International Society for Anthrozoology, and serves on the editorial board for the international peer-reviewed journal Anthrozoös.[29]

Personal life

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Pauleen Bennett and a dog (2012)

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.[30] 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,[31] 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.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Staff profile". Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014. Staff profile La Trobe University
  2. ^ http://theconversation.com/why-science-cant-really-tell-us-whether-pets-are-good-for-health-9043 Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Why science can't really tell us whether pets are good for health (The Conversation)
  3. ^ http://www.humananimalscience.com.au/positive-psychology/ Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Human Animal Science: Positive psychology and the role of animals
  4. ^ "Anthrozoology Research Group". Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  5. ^ http://www.anthrozoologyresearchgroup.com/about/members/ Archived 22 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine Profiles of Anthrozoology Research Group members
  6. ^ "Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation". Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  7. ^ International Society for Anthrozoology http://www.isaz.net Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Bennett, Pauleen C. (26 October 1999). "Protein serine/threonine phosphatases in memory formation temporally-specific roles evident in the day-old chick following passive-avoidance learning". Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via search.lib.monash.edu.
  9. ^ "Anthrozoology Research Group - Director". www.anthrozoologyresearchgroup.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  10. ^ Bennett, PC (2003). "Tail docking in dogs: can attitude change be achieved?". Australian Veterinary Journal. 81 (5): 277–282. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2003.tb12575.x. PMID 15084038.
  11. ^ "Is the tail docking of dogs legal? - RSPCA Australia knowledgebase". kb.rspca.org.au. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  12. ^ Resources, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and (22 May 2017). "Prohibited procedures on dogs". www.depi.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Why is the RSPCA opposed to the tail docking of dogs? - RSPCA Australia knowledgebase". kb.rspca.org.au. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  14. ^ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2006/00000019/00000003/art00004 Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale
  15. ^ Ley, Jacqui M. (2009). "A refinement and validation of the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 116 (2–4): 220–227. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.09.009.
  16. ^ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ufaw/aw/2010/00000019/A00102s1/art00003 Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Challenges and paradoxes in the companion-animal niche
  17. ^ King, Tammie (2009). "Describing the ideal Australian companion dog". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 120 (1–2): 84–93. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2009.04.011.
  18. ^ "Staff profile". Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014. The modern work of dogs: what is it and how does it influence dog behaviour and welfare, ISAE 2009
  19. ^ King, Tammie (2012). "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 (1–2): 1–12. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2011.11.016.
  20. ^ Mornement, Kate M. (2010). "A Review of Behavioral Assessment Protocols Used by Australian Animal Shelters to Determine the Adoption Suitability of Dogs". Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 13 (4): 314–329. doi:10.1080/10888705.2010.483856. PMID 20865615. S2CID 205752558.
  21. ^ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2012/00000025/00000004/art00005 Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine What Do Current and Potential Australian Dog Owners Believe about Shelter Practices and Shelter Dogs?
  22. ^ Marston, Linda C. (2004). "What Happens to Shelter Dogs? An Analysis of Data for 1 Year From Three Australian Shelters". Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 7 (1): 27–47. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.551.4635. doi:10.1207/s15327604jaws0701_2. PMID 15066769. S2CID 3038388.
  23. ^ Marston, Linda C. (2003). "Reforging the bond—towards successful canine adoption". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 83 (3): 227–245. doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(03)00135-7.
  24. ^ Marston, Linda C. (2009). "Admissions of Cats to Animal Welfare Shelters in Melbourne, Australia". Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 12 (3): 189–213. doi:10.1080/10888700902955948. PMID 20183474. S2CID 45179313.
  25. ^ http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bloomsbury/azoos/2010/00000023/00000002/art00004 Archived 12 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine Why Do Even Committed Dog Owners Fail to Comply with Some Responsible Ownership Practices?
  26. ^ Rohlf, Vanessa I. (2010). "Dog Obesity: Can Dog Caregivers' (Owners') Feeding and Exercise Intentions and Behaviors Be Predicted From Attitudes?". Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 13 (3): 213–236. doi:10.1080/10888705.2010.483871. PMID 20563903. S2CID 205752567.
  27. ^ http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/pets/care-and-welfare/research/victorian-pet-keeping-practices Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Pet-care practices in Victoria, 2013: a survey of bird, cat, dog and rabbit owners.
  28. ^ "Pauleen Bennett". scholars.latrobe.edu.au. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  29. ^ "Staff profile". Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014. La Trobe University Profile
  30. ^ "HevnSent website". Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  31. ^ Bennett, PC (2003). "Tail docking in dogs: a review of the issues". Australian Veterinary Journal. 81 (4): 208–218. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2003.tb11473.x. PMID 15080444.
  32. ^ http://theveterinarian.com.au/?p=1400%7C Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine 'Adventures in Anthrozoology' by Anne Fawcett, for The Veterinarian Archived 14 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
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