Over 70% of the United States population now owns a pet, with the 2020 expenditures approaching nearly $99 billion according to the American Pet Products Association. Pet owners are looking for a variety of elements to enhance the life of their pet and are now seeking for guidance when it comes to the end-of-life aspect as well.

The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care was founded in 2009 by Dr. Amir Shanan to answer this need for dignified and respectful care for pets and their owners in the end-of-life walk. The association is comprised of members from all over the world, including mainly veterinarians and veterinary technicians, as well as social workers and other interdisciplinary support care team members.

“It’s been an amazing decade of growth in answer to our members demands for guidance in end-of-life services,” the association’s president Dr. Tyler Carmack stated. “As with every organization, the time had come for us to get future-ready to stay up with the changing demands of our pet owners and our members. However, we needed the research and the data to know exactly where our changes needed to happen. Fort Hays State University’s (FHSU) willingness to step up and help with this project was invaluable.”

“We are fortunate to work with IAAHPC to improve the lives of so many pet parents,” Dr. Ron Christian said, assistant professor of marketing at FHSU. “Our students did a fantastic job with our research agenda and we are all excited to continue into the next stage. It’s important for pet parents to be aware of the resources and support that are available, and we are hopeful that our research can shed light on how to best serve this growing need.”

Work between the two enterprises will continue with the next layer of research being done with pet lovers to assess their needs in end-of-life care. “We’re excited to be a part of the overall success of the IAAHPC,” stated Dr. Christian.

The IAAHPC’s mission is to promote comfort care that addresses the physical, psychological, and social needs of animals with chronic and/or life-limiting diseases. They promote physical, emotional, and spiritual support for caregivers, and educate professionals and advance research in the field of animal hospice and palliative care. Their vision is to create a world in which animal hospice and palliative care services are widely available to animals and their caregivers, with hospice and palliative care to be broadly recognized by veterinarians, veterinary nurses/technicians, and mental health/spiritual care professionals worldwide as an integral part of quality care. You can learn more about the association at www.IAAHPC.org