Center for Pet Family Well-Being

27/04/2026

Grief after pet loss sits at the intersection of human health, animal welfare, and mental health—yet it’s often overlooked.
For many individuals, the loss of a pet is the loss of a family member, a source of stability, and a critical emotional support. Within a One Health framework, this grief matters—and how we respond as professionals matters even more.

Join us for:
“Honoring the Bond: Understanding Grief after Pet Loss” with Sarina Grace Manifold, LCSW

This webinar will explore:
• The significance of the human–animal bond
• Common and complex grief responses
• Types of grief unique to pet loss
• Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across social work, veterinary medicine, and healthcare

📅 May 20, 2026 | 1:00 PM ET

🔗 Register: https://tiny.utk.edu/GriefAfterPetLoss

If you work in social work, veterinary medicine, healthcare, or community support, this is an opportunity to deepen your understanding and strengthen your impact.










University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee College of Social Work
Maddie's Fund

23/04/2026

Missed yesterday’s webinar? Or want to watch it again?

Our session, Caring in a Crisis: Pet & Human First Aid Essentials, is now available to watch anytime. From heat stress and animal bites to zoonotic risks, this conversation was packed with practical tips to help you respond when it matters most—for both people and pets.

Watch the recording here:
https://youtu.be/G668Bzqy5HU

A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined us live—we loved the engagement and thoughtful discussion! 💙

And congratulations to our gift card winner, Jana Green! 🎉

We’re grateful to have such a strong, passionate One Health community. Stay tuned for more opportunities to learn, connect, and make a difference.







University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee College of Social Work
Center for Pet Family Well-Being
Maddie's Fund

Caring in a Crisis Pet and Human First Aid

22/04/2026

🚨 Happening TODAY! 🚨

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month—and this is your chance to learn skills you may actually need when it matters most.

Join us for Caring in a Crisis: Pet & Human First Aid Essentials, a practical, easy-to-follow webinar that will help you respond quickly and confidently in real-life emergencies involving both pets and people.

Led by veterinary and human medical experts Becky DeBolt, DVM and Jason French, MD, this session covers:
🐾 Heat stress & prevention
🐾 Animal bites & what to do next
🐾 Zoonotic (animal-to-human) illnesses
🐾 Everyday emergencies that can escalate fast

Whether you're a pet owner, caregiver, or professional—this is knowledge you don’t want to wish you had later.

👉 Join us today—REGISTER NOW:
https://tiny.utk.edu/April2026Webinar
















University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee College of Social Work
Center for Pet Family Well-Being
Maddie's Fund

21/04/2026

We hope you can join us tomorrow!

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, and we’re marking the occasion with a special webinar, Caring in a Crisis: Pet & Human First Aid Essentials. Join Becky DeBolt, DVM, and Jason French, MD, as they share practical, real-world guidance on responding to common injuries and emergency situations affecting both pets and people—so you’re prepared when every second counts. Topics will include heat stress, animal bites, zoonotic (animal-to-human) illnesses, and other situations where quick, informed action can make a critical difference.

Don’t miss this opportunity to build confidence and lifesaving skills—REGISTER TODAY > https://tiny.utk.edu/April2026Webinar

University of Tennessee College of Social Work
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Maddie's Fund

16/04/2026

📢 Advancing One Health at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The Center for Pet Family Well-Being is leading a first-of-its-kind national study on access to dog behavior care—an often overlooked factor in keeping pets and families together.

This research will help identify gaps, reduce barriers, and strengthen the human-animal bond through a One Health approach.

🔗 Learn more: https://csw.utk.edu/news/advancing-one-health-university-of-tennessee-center-for-pet-family-well-being-leads-first-national-study-on-dog-behavior-care-access/

University of Tennessee College of Social Work
Maddie's Fund
Every Dog Behavior and Training

The University of Tennessee Center for Pet Family Well-Being (CPFW) is leading the first national research initiative focused on access to dog behavior and training support.

10/04/2026

👏 Congratulations to our students! 👏

The Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA) is an annual event showcasing research and creative activities across all disciplines by currently enrolled undergraduate students collaborating with a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or UT Institute of Agriculture faculty mentor.

Maya Dye, a Sophomore Animal Science major concentrating in Veterinary Medicine and minoring in Public Health/One Health, presented a poster titled "Pet Companionship and Substance Use Disorder Recovery: A Longitudinal, Mixed-Methods Study with Sober Living Residents".

Reagan Frye, a Senior Neuroscience and Animal Science major with minors in American Sign Language and International Agriculture and Natural Resources, presented a poster titled "Unleashing Equity: A National Framework for Access to Behavioral Care for Dog Families".

Thank you to their mentors Dr Claire Schuch and Kaitlyn Davis Andres!


University of Tennessee College of Social Work

02/04/2026

For many individuals on the autism spectrum, companion animals can play a meaningful role in daily life—supporting emotional regulation, reducing anxiety, and fostering connection (person + pet). At the same time, access to supportive environments—like inclusive housing, community services, and sensory-aware public spaces—can shape how both people and their pets thrive together (environment).

Research and organizations such as Autism Speaks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight the importance of tailored supports and community-level understanding in improving outcomes for individuals with autism.

When we extend that lens to include pets, we begin to see the full One Health picture: stable, supportive environments strengthen the human-animal bond and overall well-being.

Creating inclusive systems—whether in healthcare, housing, or community programming—means recognizing these interconnected needs and designing with both people and their pets in mind.

💬 How is your organization or community working to create more inclusive, supportive environments for individuals with autism and their pets? What gaps still exist?

27/03/2026

In case you missed the conversation, you can watch the recording at https://youtu.be/U5zm_-FA1fg?si=d4JYfzJvrfCITADp

Maddie's® Community Conversation on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 11am PT / 2pm ET for a conversation on "Caring for the Caregivers" with Kayla Anderson, LMSW, Veterinary Social Worker for the Center for Pet Family Well-Being at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work.

Animal services professionals carry the emotional weight of animal suffering, euthanasia, and the profound experiences of the communities they serve - work that can quietly erode well-being over time.

Veterinary Social Work serves as a vital bridge between the human–animal bond and human mental health, offering proactive, compassionate support to the people behind the mission. By intentionally including caregivers within the circle of care, we strengthen their resilience, sustain their capacity to serve, and ensure pets and their families continue receiving the support they deserve.

This session is ideal for adoption & foster staff and veterinary staff - but all are welcome.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
Veterinary Social Work acts as a bridge between the human-animal bond and human mental health, providing proactive support to the mental well-being of animal care teams.
In animal welfare, significant focus is on assisting pets and their people. However, we must include those providing care within the support network. This helps ensure that caregivers have the bandwidth to continue providing assistance to pet families in the future.

25/03/2026

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, and we are marking the occasion with a special webinar, Caring in a Crisis: Pet & Human First Aid Essentials. Join Becky DeBolt, DVM, and Jason French, MD, as they share practical, real-world guidance on responding to common injuries and emergency situations affecting both pets and people—so you’re prepared when every second counts.

Topics will include heat stress, animal bites, zoonotic (animal-to-human) illnesses, and other situations where quick, informed action can make a critical difference.

Don’t miss this opportunity to build confidence and lifesaving skills—REGISTER TODAY! tiny.utk.edu/April2026Webinar

24/03/2026

REMINDER OF TODAY'S WEBINAR - More Than a Pet: Integrating the Human-Animal Bond into Ethical Social Work Practice.

📣 NOW CE APPROVED
1 Continuing Education (CE) credit through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)!

In recognition of Social Work Month, join us on March 31, 2026 for our webinar, More Than a Pet: Integrating the Human-Animal Bond into Ethical Social Work Practice. Explore how the human-animal bond can inform ethical decision-making and strengthen holistic social work practice.

Pets play a critical role in the lives, safety, and well-being of many social work clients. In practice settings, such as housing, child welfare, aging services, behavioral health, and interpersonal violence, client decisions and outcomes are frequently influenced by their relationships with their pets. When pets are not considered, service plans may unintentionally create barriers to care, safety, and stability.

This Social Work Month webinar is designed to inform social workers about why pets must be recognized as part of the client system. Grounded in a One Health framework, this session will examine how the human–animal bond influences client engagement, risk, and access to services, and why pet-inclusive practice is essential for ethical, effective social work.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

REGISTER TODAY >

Now approved for 1 Continuing Education (CE) credit through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)! Pets play a critical role in the lives, safety, and well-being of many social work clients. In practice settings, such as housing, child welfare, aging services, behavioral health, and inte...

09/03/2026

We are excited to share that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work has officially established the Center for Pet Family Well-Being (CPFW).

The Center advances health equity for people and their pets by bringing together leaders across veterinary medicine, social work, public health, and animal welfare to collaborate through One Health Systems.

We’re grateful for the leadership of Dr. Michael Blackwell and the support of Maddie's Fund® whose investment helps make this work possible.

Read the announcement at https://csw.utk.edu/news/university-of-tennessee-college-of-social-work-establishes-center-for-pet-family-well-being/