Application period for 2026 Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies program now open

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The application period for the 2026 Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies program is now open through August 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM US Central Standard Time. The program offers funding globally for research on the distinct connections between humans and their pets.¹

Funding is offered to applicants affiliated with universities, foundations, charities, and nongovernmental organizations but is not limited to these organizations. Applicants may receive up to $40,000 in research funding per proposal.

This year, proposals that explore the benefits of the human-animal bond for people in vulnerable positions, the impact of human-animal interactions on the well-being of pets, and the bond between people and cats will be given preference. The application form and requirements can be found here.

"At Purina, we truly believe that people and pets are better together, and we are invested in understanding how to create stronger bonds and more joyful lives together," Francois Martin, PhD, MA, manager of global pet behavior and welfare at Purina, said in a news release.¹ "Through our Human-Animal Bond Studies program, we can better understand the healing power of pets and the variety of ways in which the bonds with our pets impact their lives and ours."

According to Purina, the rules for the 2026 sponsorship applications are as follows¹:

• Only proposals about cats and/or dogs will be evaluated.
• Only 1 proposal per researcher will be evaluated.
• Research must not be double-funded.
• Applicants with other corporate affiliations may pose a conflict of interest with Nestlé Purina PetCare Company's (Purina) business. Potential conflicts of interest will be evaluated by Purina. Purina reserves the right to disqualify an applicant/researcher on the grounds of conflict of interest.
• All research studies will require approval by Purina and the local ethical/animal use committee and must be fully compliant with local and national animal welfare regulations.
• Purina will only fund noninvasive research studies and procedures consistent with routine veterinary care. We do not participate in any invasive research that causes injury, illness, or disease, or that results in euthanasia of dogs or cats.
• All applications must provide a timeline with specific deliverables.
• All applications must present a detailed budget.
• Payments to the selected applicants will be divided by Nestlé Purina into predetermined installments.
• University overhead cost will be limited to $1000 maximum per application.
• If the application is accepted, Purina will be acknowledged as a sponsor in all communications about the project.
• Projects must be completed within a maximum of 2 years after receiving the first installment.
• A final report must be submitted to Purina in order to receive the final installment.
• All communications regarding the sponsored projects (eg, scientific abstracts, peer-reviewed publications) must be submitted to Purina for review before submission.
• If any intellectual property is generated by the sponsorship, Purina shall have exclusive rights to negotiate a license for intellectual property first.

Evaluations for applications will be completed in September 2025, and contracts for allocated sponsorships will be signed that fall. Funds will be allocated based on the specific requirements of each project once contracts are signed in early 2026. Additionally, the allocation of funds will occur following a review of the final project reports. All studies must be completed by December 2027, according to Purina.²

References

1. Purina opens funding opportunities for scientific research proposals on the unique bond between people and pets. News release. Purina. May 2, 2025. Accessed May 7, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-opens-funding-opportunities-for-scientific-research-proposals-on-the-unique-bond-between-people-and-pets-302445204.html
2. 2026 Purina Sponsorship for Human-Animal Bond Studies. Purina. April 29, 2025. Accessed May 7, 2025. https://www.purina.com/humananimalbond