After Dark: Pets

How do pets affect their humans? From mental health to microbiome, we are significantly altered by animals in our care. Explore the complex relationships between humans and our non-human companions at After Dark: Pets. And yes, there will be cute animals.

Presentations

Pets, People, and Personality
With Heike Winterheld
7:30 p.m.  |  Bechtel Gallery 3, Webcast Studio

How well do you know your pet’s personality? Does your pet really love you? And what does your pet reveal about you? Learn how scientists assess animals’ personality and attachment styles and how you can assess your pet. Staff social psychologist Heike Winterheldexplains how (and why) scientists do these assessments, explores what we can really infer from observations, and discusses recent research on the psychology of the pet-human relationship.

Wild Animals Are Not Pets
With Classroom Safari
8:00 p.m. | Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6

Wild animals don’t make good pets, they are, after all, wild animals. Join Safari Encounters wildlife educator Brandi Bluefor an up-close look at the complex care many of these creatures require, and hear what happens when people try to bring them inside.

Of Mutts and Microbes
With Ariane Panzer
8:30 p.m.  |  Bechtel Gallery 3, Webcast Studio

Cuddling with your pup can put joy in your heart and dog hair on your clothes, and it may also impact your microbiome, the community of microbes in your body. Studies have found strong correlations between decreased occurrences of asthma in children that have dogs in the house, and that pet owners have overlapping microbiome populations with other pet owners. Find out how your animal companions may affect your microbial populations.