Prof. em. dr. Marie-Jose Enders-Slegers is a clinical and health psychologist by training, especially in elderly care. Her special field of interest is the human-animal bond and animal-assisted interventions in health care and education. Her research topics include: the development of the human-animal bond, the meaning and effects of human-animal interactions and animal-assisted interventions for different groups of vulnerable people (e.g. elderly people, elderly people with dementia, traumatized children, mentally handicapped people, children with behavior problems, veterans with PTSD). She also researched the ‘dark side’ of the human-animal relationship: the link between domestic violence and animal abuse. From 2016 to about 2026 she served as President of IAHAIO – International Association of Human Animal Interaction Organizations, she is Founder of the Institute of Anthrozoology in the Netherlands and chairs the Center of Animal/Human Studies.  She was involved in many international and national boards and published many articles and book chapters.

Vakgroep Klinische Psychologie, dep. Antrozoologie; [http://www.instituutvoorantrozoologie.nl;  https://www.ou.nl/-/werelddierendag-het-effect-van-een-huisdi-1]www.instituutvoorantrozoologie.nl;  https://www.ou.nl/-/werelddierendag-het-effect-van-een-huisdi-1 Open Universiteit

Adviseur Instituut voor Antrozoologie

Voorzitter Centrum Dier/Mens Studies