Meet the Team

Director: Dr. Kerri Rodriguez

Dr. Kerri Rodriguez is an Assistant Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. As the director of the HAB Lab, her research explores the role and impacts of the human-animal bond for both human and animal well-being across a variety of settings, populations, and contexts. Dr. Rodriguez received her Ph.D. in Human-Animal Interaction from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020, completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Human-Animal Bond In Colorado at Colorado State University, and joined the University of Arizona in 2023. She has led projects investigating the benefits of assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities, the effects of therapy and facility dogs on staff and client/patient wellbeing, and the potential stress-buffering effects of dogs. Her work has been highlighted in media outlets such as the BBC, Washington Post, New York Magazine, People Magazine, and National Geographic. 

Dr. Rodriguez is an internationally recognized scholar in the field of human-animal interaction, with appointments on the advisory boards of Fetch Pet Insurance, Pet Partners, and American Humane. She has served on the board of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) since 2019 and is on the editorial board of the journals Human-Animal Interactions and Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Dr. Rodriguez has also served as a subject matter expert for leading HAI organizations, including the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAIP). She has authored several book chapters in human-animal interaction textbooks, including the Handbook on Human-Animal Interactions, Interventions, and Anthrozoology, The Role of Companion Animals in the Treatment of Mental Disorders, and Transforming Trauma: Finding Resiliency and Healing Through Animals. In her free time, she loves spending times outdoors and meeting as many dogs as she can!