Former School of Public Health researcher Ruth Foster died at age 89 on April 19, 2016. Foster was an internationally recognized dog behavior expert who teamed with University veterinarian RK Anderson to create the school’s Center to Study Human Animal Relationships and Environments — CENSHARE — in 1981.  

“Ruth Foster’s dog expertise and ties to community and national organizations were critical to the work she and Dr. RK Anderson did together,” says CENSHARE’s current director, Professor Pamela Schreiner. “She had a major role in creating instructional videos that highlighted the importance of the human-animal bond and showed how animals enhance a human’s quality of life.”

These videos on companion animals were distributed to nursing homes across the country.

Foster was also involved with Helping Paws, which provided animals to disabled individuals.

One of Foster and Anderson’s most recognizable innovations was the creation of the Gentle Leader — an extremely popular and effective dog collar that wraps around the animal’s snout and head instead of choking them at the throat.

Foster was also a past director of training for the Twin Cities Obedience Training Club and a president of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors.