Virtual Human-Animal Interactions: Supporting Learning, Social Connections and Well-being [Paperback]

Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: From In-Person to Virtual Human-Animal Interactions: An Overview Chapter 3: Exploring Asynchronous and Synchronous Opportunities for Virtual Human-Animal Interactions Chapter 4: The Unique Role of Social Media in Fostering Informal Virtual Human-Animal Connections Chapter 5: Safeguarding Animal Welfare in a Virtual Context/ Chapter 6: Best Practices in Creating Virtual Human-Animal Connections Chapter 7: Conclusion and Future Directions

Virtual Human-Animal Interactions illuminates readers thinking around the empirical and practical implications of facilitating interactions between people and animals within virtual contexts.

Christine Yvette Tardif-Williams, PhD,/is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University and has taught in the post-secondary context for 20 years. Dr. Tardif-Williams research adopts basic and applied approaches and is informed by the interdisciplinary fields of child and youth development and human-animal interactions. Dr. Tardif-Williams has two research streams that focus more broadly on how close bonds within interpersonal and animal relationships shape the social and emotional lives of children and youth. Specifically, Dr. Tardif-Williams research examines human-animal interactions, childrens relationships with animals, child maltreatment, parent-child attachment, and communication and conflict. Dr. Tardif-Williams research on childrens and dog handlers experiences with animals and therapy dogs in a variety of learning contexts has been published in/Anthrozo?s,/Society and Animals, the Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin,/Pet Behavior Science,/and/Psychology of Language and Communication./

John-Tyler Binfet, PhD, is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus. His research explores prosoclST