Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science最新文献

Undergraduate (n = 32), graduate (n = 33), and veterinary students (n = 6) visited a virtual reality (VR) tour of a swine (n = 29) or dairy (n = 42) farm. Each tour featured a 360-degree video with voiceover and a self-guided exploration of farm basics and animal welfare challenges. The self-guided VR tour provided interactive hotspots for information. Students completed surveys pre- and post-tours, using a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Students who experienced the dairy farm showed significant increased agreement on welfare statements (p < 0.01), including that "Dairy producers care about cow welfare." Similarly, swine tour students agreed more with "Current swine husbandry practices result in positive animal welfare" (p < 0.01). After the dairy tour, students agreed more on practices like the importance of biosecurity in transitioning barns (p < 0.01), while swine tour students showed no change (p = 1.0). Overall, virtual tours increased awareness of animal welfare (p < 0.05). More research is needed, but VR tours may effectively enhance classroom discussions on animal welfare.

Environmental enrichment is vital for captive animal welfare and should be integrated into tailored action programs. Setting objectives requires information on time use, enclosure use, and social compatibility. While activity and space are commonly assessed through instantaneous scan sampling, social relationships usually demand time-consuming focal sampling of affiliative or agonistic interactions. Since scan sampling also records social behavior, it raises the question of whether this method could offer a quicker yet reliable way to evaluate social relationships within groups. We studied grooming exchanges in a zoo-housed chimpanzee group, comparing social structures from scan and focal sampling. Results showed scan sampling yielded estimates of grooming similar to focal sampling. By reducing data collection time, scan sampling streamlines early enrichment program stages, enabling faster diagnosis of group dynamics and more efficient establishment of enrichment objectives, thus supporting animal welfare without compromising data quality.

Behavioral observations of six dogs during seven animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are presented. Previous studies with AAI have not found significant threats toward dogs' welfare. However, some findings suggest that environmental, human participant-related, dog-related factors and the type of intervention may influence the welfare. It is important to understand how AAIs affect participating dogs. This study aimed to describe behavioral responses of dogs engaged in AAIs, assess the use of behavioral observations as indicators for dogs' welfare, and include handler's perceptions. The interventions took place at two outdoor events. Seven AAI sessions with six different dogs were videotaped to analyze their behavior. Appeasement behaviors were shown at the highest frequencies (10.89/minute (SD 3.91)), followed by posture changes (5.95/minute (SD 2.36). Each dog displayed avoidance behavior at least once during each session. Most owners scored their dogs' stress levels at 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-4. Behaviors indicating both positive and negative welfare were observed. Moreover, a potential need for the education of handlers to advocate for their dogs was identified.

Every day, thousands of humorous animal videos are uploaded on social media platforms. In this study, 162 pet videos intended to be funny from various social media platforms were analyzed for content related to poor animal welfare. The videos were analyzed regarding risk of injury for the animals, suspected pain, agony breeding characteristics and animal behavior indicating stress. The success of each video was assessed based on views, likes and shares. Stress reactions of the animals were observed in 82% of all videos, while risks of injury were found in 52% of the videos. Pain was assumed in 30% of cases, and 32% of the videos showed pets displaying agony breeding characteristics, such as brachycephaly. A total of 93.8% of all videos achieved the benchmark "views:account follower (exposure)" value of 0.14, classifying them as successful videos. This study showed that successful animal videos on social media are often related to poor animal welfare. The study emphasizes the importance of raising awareness among social media users about animal welfare issues and can be the starting point for necessary educational work.

Staff and volunteers represent charities to the public and are often approached for guidance about the charity specialism regardless of their actual role. This study explored whether staff and volunteers at an Animal Welfare Organisation have consistent perceptions of the importance of pre-acquisition research and expected care requirements for seven companion animal species. Two hundred and sixty-four staff and volunteers completed an online questionnaire. Comparisons were made between volunteer and staff roles, and those working in direct Pet Services and those in Non-Pet Services departments. The importance of pre-acquisition research was recognized by the majority of participants (> 80%) for all species. Overall, type of role and species had a significant effect on participant willingness to pay initial set up costs and perceived suitability as a pet for children, ease of care and expected time commitment. Department had a significant effect on willingness to pay set up costs. These results suggest that animal welfare organizations should take time to understand the views of their wider teams in relation to the animals that they care for to ensure that effective welfare friendly messaging can be reflected by all areas of the organization.

Common bottlenose dolphins residing in zoos and aquariums are viewed as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. Previous studies on wild bottlenose dolphins have raised concerns about exposure to phthalates - synthetic chemicals that can pose health risks. Recent research on wild bottlenose dolphins has reported prevalent exposure to phthalates. The current case study investigated urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations for five adult female common bottlenose dolphins residing at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Most of the tests performed for specific metabolites did not show detectable concentrations, and metabolite concentrations were generally low when detected. Animal care professionals working at other zoos and aquariums should: 1) investigate phthalate exposure for bottlenose dolphins and other aquatic species, and if necessary, 2) identify sources of phthalate exposure. Furthermore, researchers can conduct experiments to gain insight into how various species process and excrete phthalate metabolites. The ultimate goal is to enhance the welfare of professionally managed animals by reducing exposure to phthalates and to inform our understanding of the metabolic degradation of phthalates.

The use of methods to promote feline well-being is common in veterinary medicine. This study evaluated whether exposure to catnip (Nepeta cataria) and feline facial pheromone alters vital or behavioral parameters in cats undergoing clinical examination with a cat friendly approach. This is relevant, as even minor changes in these parameters can affect the physical exam or clinical interpretation. Eight healthy cats were evaluated in a randomized, blinded study. Baseline data were collected in the home environment, and then the cats were transported, handled, and clinically assessed following Feline-Friendly Handling Guidelines. In a standard care room, the effects of catnip, feline facial pheromone, and a placebo (0.9% saline) were tested. Neither catnip nor pheromone produced significant changes in clinical or behavioral parameters. The tested substances were not able to alter parameters to the point of masking health changes in the animals. Thus, the cat friendly approach remains effective in minimizing stress and promoting positive experiences during clinical evaluations.

The study offers an overview of rabbit ownership and welfare in Spain, derived from an online survey with 1246 responses, highlighting regional disparities. Most rabbits were dwarf breeds or lop-eared, come from pet stores or as gifts and cared for by women with 58% being sterilized. Most rabbits lived cage-free indoors, primarily consuming hay (75%), with accessible veterinary care. The vaccination rates were higher (81%) than testing for encephalitozoonosis (27.61%) or microchipping (24.72%). The owners also reported nocturnal behavioral patterns (50%). Approximately 65% rabbits cohabitating with others never engage in fights. Additionally, 40% of respondents reported daily lifting of their rabbits, while 39% noted occasional biting incidents. The data indicate that rabbits acquired through purchase or as gifts generally experience a lower quality of life, as do those whose owners do not seek information from veterinarians or rescue organizations. Most rabbit owners were able to pinpoint quality-enhancing activities, and 43% of them noted that the frequency of such activities has decreased. The findings underscore the need for informed, empathetic care to ensure rabbit welfare.

This study investigated the effect of environmental enrichment on behavior, welfare and litter quality in broiler chickens. The birds were housed in enriched (EE) or conventional (C) litter production system. Four experimental groups were formed (EE - FAST, EE - SLOW, C - FAST, C - SLOW). Perching behavior was influenced by strain, age, and time of the day (P<0.05). Lying/standing on straw bales varied according to strain, age, and time of the day (P<0.05). Lying in sandboxes was influenced by the strain, age, and time of the day (P<0.05). The strain and time of the day had no effect on dustbathing behavior (P>0.05). However, the bird's age influenced dustbathing behavior (P<0.05). The rectal, and breast region temperature and the litter quality also varied among the strains (P<0.05). The TI induction also increased with age (P<0.05). The housing environment, strain, and age had no effect on TI duration, metatarsal and comb region temperature, and gait score (P>0.05). The strain affected the tibia and femur traits (length, width, and breaking strength) (P<0.05). However, the environment only influenced the bone-breaking strength (P<0.05).