of dogs in all states of Australia under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Welfare Acts. Bennett's subsequent collaborations and postgraduate supervision have resulted in research in the areas of dog-owner relationships, canine personality, the modern role of companion animals, improving rehoming outcomes for shelter animals, and factors relating to successful and unsuccessful pet ownership practices. Bennett has a strong commitment to knowledge transfer and has been instrumental in the development of several courses. In 2006, she was appointed as an adjunct professor at Ohio State University to develop and deliver the undergraduate 'Animals in Society' course, providing students from diverse academic backgrounds with the critical thinking skills required to address controversial issues concerning animals in contemporary societies. She also led development of the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare offered by the Animal Welfare Science Centre. Current positions Bennett is currently a professor and head of Department of Psychology and Counselling at La Trobe University, Victoria (Australia). She is chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation, former president of the International Society for Anthrozoology, and serves on the editorial board for the international peer-reviewed journal Anthrozoös. Personal life Bennett lives in regional Victoria outside of Bendigo with her partner, Ron Wheeler, and their collection of dogs, horses, goats and one cat. She used to farm alpacas, is a certified pet dog training instructor and is a registered dog breeder, having bred Jack Russell Terriers, Australian Shepherds and Lagotto Romagnolos under the kennel name of HevnSent. It was Bennett's personal appraisal of the breed standard requirement to dock her puppies' tails, and subsequent review of the complex attitudes related to the issue of tail docking in dogs, that prompted her to change her professional focus from the neurosciences to pursue improved understanding of human-animal interactions in the inter-disciplinary field of anthrozoology. References La Trobe University faculty 20th-century Australian women scientists Australian women academics La Trobe University alumni Living people 1963 births 21st-century Australian women scientists People from Ivanhoe, Victoria Scientists from Melbourne People from Mornington Peninsula