Mary W. Wood

The human-animal bond in veterinary medical education: accessing web-based information.

Various aspects of the field known as the human-animal bond (HAB), or human-animal interactions, have expanded within veterinary medical education over the past quarter of a century. Using a variety of databases and informed search strategies, relevant information can be accessed, including recent articles, databases, journals, academic centers, societies and associations, programs, and key references. In this paper, methods for accessing resources supporting veterinary education on the HAB are organized into four subject areas: the HAB in veterinary school curricula; social work and support services for veterinary clients; the benefits of the HAB for human well-being, with applications of animal-assisted therapies, activities, and education; and companion animal behavior and welfare concerns. A related Web site can be accessed at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CCAB/humananimalinteractions.html.

Bibliographic Searching Tools on Disease Models to Locate Alternatives for Animals in Research

Nonvertebrate and vertebrate models are commonly used in research to study diseases that affect humans and animals and to clarify disease etiology and methods for disease prevention and treatment. The relevant information on models is published in a variety of resources and then indexed among free and proprietary databases. New searching tools specifically developed as a companion to this book can now be freely accessed at a designated website created as a companion for the Sourcebook of Models for Biomedical Research, where user-friendly searches can be executed at any time according to stored instructions, in a variety of databases pertaining to the relevant disease models. Some databases are freely available, such as PubMed, AGRICOLA, TOXLINE, and NCBI, as well as specialized resources such as FishBase and the JAX Mice Database. Other useful databases are proprietary, such as PsycInfo and Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts. The website can be accessed: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Animal_Alternatives/sourcebook.html.