HABRI names 2026 Human Animal Bond Innovation Award winners

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) has revealed the recipients of its 2026 Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards, honoring organizations whose programs and policies work to advance the connection between people and animals and build a more pet-friendly world. The winners were announced August 13 during an awards ceremony at SuperZoo in Las Vegas.

The awards span several categories, recognizing efforts across public service, media, workplace culture, infrastructure and international work.

Public service honorees keep pets and people together

Two organizations shared honors in the Public Service category, which is sponsored by Zoetis. Dogs on Deployment, a nonprofit built around the idea that military members should never be forced to give up their pets to serve, runs a free national boarding network and offers financial help to families managing deployments, moves and training. The group reports it has kept more than 3,000 animals out of shelters, linked upward of 44,000 volunteer boarders and distributed close to $1 million in aid. The Arizona Pet Project also took a Public Service award for its work with UMOM New Day Centers, where it helped create an early example of a family shelter that welcomes pets and delivers veterinary care on-site. The project assisted 111 pet-owning families in its opening year.

A documentary earns recognition in media

In the Media category, sponsored by DOGTV, the documentary “Unspoken Bond” was recognized. The film, created by Jackie Ducci and produced by KTF Films, tells the stories of people whose relationships with animals aided their healing and recovery, and aims to prompt wider conversation about how these bonds support mental health and community well-being.

Workplaces build pets into culture and infrastructure

The City of Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare Department won in the Pet-Inclusive Culture category, sponsored by Nestlé Purina PetCare, for its Employee Pet Care Membership program. The voluntary benefit gives city workers low-cost access to preventive services such as spay and neuter procedures, vaccinations and wellness exams, while channeling membership dues into a city fund that broadens pet care access for lower-income residents.

Roehl Transport claimed the Pet-Inclusive Infrastructure award for its Pet Passport Program, which pairs pet-friendly policies with practical amenities like dedicated pet run areas and waste stations so long-haul drivers can bring their animals on the road.

International winners expand access and advocacy

The International category also produced two winners. Lovedogs 360 Foundation was honored for widening access to companion animal care in Kenya through training, storytelling and technology, including an app that uses nose-print biometrics to provide lasting dog identification and link owners to support services. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home was recognized for its advocacy behind the United Kingdom’s Renters’ Rights Act, enacted this year, which lets tenants request permission to keep a pet and is expected to ease pet ownership for roughly 1 million renters in England.

Sponsors and organizers weigh in

“PetSmart Charities is proud to support the Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards and celebrate the organizations that are expanding what’s possible for people and pets,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities and chair of the HABRI Board of Trustees. “This year’s honorees are demonstrating that innovative ideas can strengthen the human-animal bond and create meaningful impact.”

HABRI President Steven Feldman thanked the awards’ sponsors, including presenting sponsor PetSmart Charities; category sponsors DOGTV, Purina and Zoetis; and supporting sponsors the World Pet Association and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. “These organizations play a critical role in bringing the Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards to life, enabling us to recognize and elevate the groundbreaking work being done to strengthen the bond between people and animals in communities around the world,” he said.

More information on the winners is available at habri.org.

References

1. Human Animal Bond Research Institute. HABRI announces Human Animal Bond Innovation Award winners. News release. PR Newswire; August 13, 2026. Accessed August 17, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/habri-announces-human-animal-bond-innovation-award-winners-302850937.html