About

Brinda India Jegatheesan is an Associate Professor in Early Childhood and Family Studies within the Learning Sciences & Human Development department at the University of Washington College of Education. Her research and teaching focus on psychosocial-cultural and contextual factors in child development and learning, particularly working with migrant children with neurobiological disabilities such as autism, and children affected by family violence, war, post-war trauma, separation, loss, and grief. She addresses national and global issues through an interdisciplinary scholarship that draws on various traditional and cultural contexts to inspire actions for change in learning and working environments for humans and animals. Dr. Jegatheesan's work also intersects with psychology and veterinary medicine, anthrozoology, animal-assisted interventions, and public health, emphasizing the human-animal bond, One Health-One Welfare concepts, and bioethics in animal-assisted practices. She has conducted research across multiple sites including the Netherlands, Scotland, USA, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, exploring topics such as the impact of culture, religion, and ethics of care, and the links between animal cruelty and family violence. She has held leadership roles such as Vice President Development for the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (2013-2022), and serves on the board of the International Society for Anthrozoology, as well as on the editorial board for the Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Foundation. Her contributions extend to fostering understanding of cultural and religious influences on attitudes towards animals, and she actively engages in public dissemination through media interviews and publications, emphasizing the developmental and socialization benefits of human-animal interactions.

Research topics

• Business
• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Biology
• Social psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Medical emergency
• Criminology
• Ecology
• Medicine
• Epistemology

Selected publications

• Correction: ‘No Pet’ Covenants and the Law: A Harm Assessment Approach to Regulating Companion Animals in Rental Housing Across the World

  Liverpool Law Review · 2024-08-20

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ‘No Pet’ Covenants and the Law: A Harm Assessment Approach to Regulating Companion Animals in Rental Housing Across the World

  Liverpool Law Review · 2024-06-01 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The covid-19 pandemic, and in particular, the rise in pet ownership, the greater focus on home-life during lockdowns and the normalisation of hybrid-working conditions post-pandemic, has shed light on an under-researched area of law that affects millions of people across the world: the use of ‘no pet’ covenants in private rental housing. This article identifies the prevalence of ‘no pet’ covenants as a socio-legal problem that is of global significance. It assesses the legal regulation of pets in private rental housing through a Harm Assessment approach that has global application. A Harm Assessment approach balances harms to various stakeholders in both the use and restriction of ‘no pet’ covenants. In countries that have no legal regulation of pets in housing it can be used to assess the need for legislation. This approach considers the character, magnitude and likelihood of the harm, something which has had little consideration to date. Drawing, by analogy, on the work of Feinberg and his analysis of harm within the context of the legitimacy of state interference with individual liberty, this article adapts his theory of harm to assess the need for legal regulation of pets in rental housing. The legitimacy of a Harm Assessment approach is supported by the existing literature on ‘no pet’ covenants, from which the dominant theme of harm emerges. Identifying and weighting the types of harm to be balanced varies depending on cultural, religious and geographic considerations and further research is needed to better understand the harms in different countries.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Pets and Housing

  Routledge eBooks · 2023 · 2 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Business

  Many countries are experiencing a paradigm shift regarding the roles of companion animals in society as well as within urban areas, housing, and homes. Globally, there exists growing social recognition of the potential value of companion animals as important members of families, households, and communities. Indeed, relationships between humans and domestic animals can promote human health and development, optimal pet outcomes, and even create ripple effects beyond individual households to society at large. Yet lack of pet-friendly housing options unevenly influence who gets to live with pets, and where and how. In this internationally comparative chapter, we consider pets within a One Health/One Welfare framework and within a housing pathways perspective, examine perceived benefits and risks associated with differential exclusive-inclusive approaches to pets and housing across country contexts, and we offer case studies that illuminate barriers and how these can be addressed. We end with internationally relevant future directions toward an inclusive global approach to housing of humans and companion animals in ways that support human, pet, and societal health.

  PublisherDOI

• Defining Terms Used for Animals Working in Support Roles for People with Support Needs

  Animals · 2022 · 65 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Psychology
  • Computer Science

  The nomenclature used to describe animals working in roles supporting people can be confusing. The same term may be used to describe different roles, or two terms may mean the same thing. This confusion is evident among researchers, practitioners, and end users. Because certain animal roles are provided with legal protections and/or government-funding support in some jurisdictions, it is necessary to clearly define the existing terms to avoid confusion. The aim of this paper is to provide operationalized definitions for nine terms, which would be useful in many world regions: "assistance animal", "companion animal", "educational/school support animal", "emotional support animal", "facility animal", "service animal", "skilled companion animal", "therapy animal", and "visiting/visitation animal". At the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conferences in 2018 and 2020, over 100 delegates participated in workshops to define these terms, many of whom co-authored this paper. Through an iterative process, we have defined the nine terms and explained how they differ from each other. We recommend phasing out two terms (i.e., "skilled companion animal" and "service animal") due to overlap with other terms that could potentially exacerbate confusion. The implications for several regions of the world are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Understanding the Link between Animal Cruelty and Family Violence: The Bioecological Systems Model

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2020 · 39 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Psychology
  • Criminology
  • Social psychology

  Violence towards animals and violence towards people are often interconnected problems, and as such, this phenomenon has been termed the Link. Violence towards animals is a strong predictor that the abuser may inflict violence on people. However, it must not be assumed this is always the case. Professionals treating an animal or a human patient/client who has been subjected to abuse are uniquely situated to act in the role of 'first responders' when they suspect or recognize animal abuse, human abuse, or family violence. To more fully understand the Link the authors introduce Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems model through which to examine the complexity of the problem. Using data from earlier studies in which they interviewed police officers, other law enforcers, veterinarians, social workers, and community and family members, the authors discuss the correlation between animal cruelty and family violence. Furthermore, they examine how Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems model has the potential to better support animal and human health and welfare professionals in the identification of strategies for animals and humans caught in abusive settings. The authors recommend that these professionals become familiar with the bioecological systems model, which will enable them to better understand the psychological problems of animal cruelty and family violence and the different bioecological contributing factors. The authors emphasize transdisciplinary collaboration as vital in the recognition, prevention, and protection of animal and human victims trapped in family violence.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Animal-Assisted Interventions With in an International Perspective

  Elsevier eBooks · 2019-01-01 · 10 citations

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Pets, housing, and the wellbeing of children, adolescents, and families

  HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · 2019-04-12

  preprintSenior author

  International audience

  Publisher

• List of Contributors

  Elsevier eBooks · 2019-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Influence of Cultural and Religious Factors on Attitudes Toward Animals

  Elsevier eBooks · 2019-01-01 · 4 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Editorial: Children and Companion Animals: Psychosocial, Medical and Neurobiological Implications

  Frontiers in Veterinary Science · 2018-06-04 · 3 citations

  editorialOpen access

  EDITORIAL article Front. Vet. Sci., 04 June 2018Sec. Veterinary Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 5 - 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00112

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Deborah Rook

  Northumbria University

  5 shared

• Kara Sage

  College of Idaho

  5 shared

• Marie‐José Enders‐Slegers

  Open University of the Netherlands

  4 shared

• Elizabeth Ormerod

  4 shared

• Andrea Beetz

  4 shared

• Patricia H. Sheehey

  University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

  3 shared

• Regina M. Bures

  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  3 shared

• Hyeyoon Park

  3 shared

Awards & honors

• President's Award 2014 for Outstanding Service to the Intern…
• Fellow, Institute for Human-Animal Connection at the Univers…
• Fellow, Center on Democracy in a Multiracial Society