Dr. R.K. Anderson was honored for his lifetime achievement by the University of Minnesota at a special event February 5, 2009.

Dr. Anderson first came to the University of Minnesota in 1956 as a professor of veterinary public health in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Public Health. Trevor Ames, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, in his keynote address called Dr. Anderson the "founding father of the most successful and respected Veterinary Public Health program in the nation."

But that was just the beginning of Dr. Anderson's career at the University. In the mid-70s, he became interested in the human-animal bond and co-founded the Delta Society, the National Society for the Human Animal Bond, with Stan Diesch.

To further his understanding of the human-animal bond, Dr. Anderson took a sabbatical leave in 1981 to study animal behavior. In conjunction with this growing interest, he assumed a leadership role in developing the specialty of behavior with the formation of the American College of Veterinary Behavior.

Dr. Anderson’s interest in behavior led him to work with Ruth Foster, and together they invented the Gentle Leader head collar for dogs, which helped literally millions of people have better and more rewarding relationships with their dogs.

Dozens on colleagues and former students were on hand to recognize Dr. Anderson for his outstanding contributions and leadership. (Click here for a gallery of photos from the event.)