Dr. Kerri Rodriguez is an assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Arizona. As the director of the HAB (Human-Animal Bond) 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. She 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.
