Animal category: Canines

Effects of changing veterinary handling techniques on canine behaviour and physiology Part 2: Behavioural measurements

Squair C, Proudfoot K, Montelpare W, Doucette T, Overall KL

Published in 2024

Study comparing application of a stress-reducing protocol during veterinary visits with standard care for dogs. Dogs cared for under the protocol had lower clinical stress scores, particularly during weighing and physical examinations. These results highlight the value of simple interventions to improve animal welfare in veterinary contexts.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Fear, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Behavioural disorders

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Dog-human vocal interactions match dogs' sensory-motor tuning

Eloïse C. Déaux, Théophane Piette, Florence Gaunet, Thierry Legou, Luc Arnal, Anne-Lise Giraud

Published in 2024

Scientific article reporting that dogs' response to human speech is tuned to a slower rhythm than humans. To improve the effectiveness of communication with dogs, humans should, and do, slow their speech rate.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Cognitive processes, Human-animal relationships, Vocalisation

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The Welfare of Dogs and Cats in the European Union: A Gap Analysis of the Current Legal Framework

Contalbrigo, L.; Normando, S.; Bassan, E.; Mutinelli, F.

Published in 2024

Analytical article raising the issue of pet welfare not covered by European legislation, such as ethical breeding, sales, transport and end-of-life care. It concludes that a transdisciplinary approach and better education in responsible pet ownership are essential to improve pet protection via a harmonized legal framework.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Abandonment, Adoption, Castration, Euthanasia, End of life, Abuse, Living environment, One Welfare, Spaying, Aging, Animal trade

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question P-001523/2024: Respect for EU animal welfare standards, with reference to the excessive euthanasia of stray animals in Romania

Question: Nicolae Ştefănuță (Greens/EFA). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

An MEP raises the issue of the mass slaughter of stray animals in Romania in relation to EU animal welfare standards. The European Commission points out that there are no specific European regulations on the euthanasia of dogs and cats, leaving this issue to the Member States. A proposal for a regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats, currently passing through the legislative process, addresses certain aspects of euthanasia.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption, Euthanasia,Abandonment, Population management

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The odour of an unfamiliar stressed or relaxed person affects dogs' responses to a cognitive bias test

Z. Parr-Cortes, C. T. Müller, L. Talas, M. Mendl, C. Guest, N. J. Rooney

Published in 2024

Scientific article confirming that dogs can discriminate between human odors emitted during positive or negative emotions with no other cues. The results also show that olfactory signals of human stress affect dogs' behaviors when approaching a bowl of food placed in an ambiguous location and may affect their learning.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords: Cognitive processes, Consciousness, Memory, Human-animal relationships,Learning, training

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Animal Welfare Guidelines for International Development Organisations in the Global South

aul Ssuna, Andrew Crump, Karin Siegmund

Published in 2024

eScientific good practice review to improve consideration of animal welfare in development projects in developing countries. Good practices extend to the governance structures of development organizations, staff training and standard operating procedures relating to water, feed, housing, social isolation, enrichment, drainage and waste disposal, disease, invasive procedures, transport, slaughter, breed selection, record keeping, and monitoring and evaluation of results.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines, Exotic pets

Keywords:Societal issues, Population management, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships

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Family pigs' and dogs' reactions to human emotional vocalizations:a citizen science study

Fanni Lehoczki, Paula Pérez Fraga, Attila Andics

Published in 2024

Scientific article on a study testing whether the emotional contagion provoked in dogs by human sounds of distress is the result of their selection for cooperation with humans or is rooted in the universal signals of emotion. The authors compared the reactions of dogs and pigs to recordings of human crying and humming. Dogs became agitated when listening to crying, which the authors interpret as emotional contagion, while pigs were stressed by humming, which the authors interpret as neophobia (fear of the new).

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Dogs, Pigs

Keywords : Human-animal relationships

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-001241/2024: Adoption of legislation to make it possible to bring pets into the workplace

Matteo Gazzini (PPE). Answer: Mr Schmit on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2024

Question on whether the European Commission is considering legislation to facilitate the presence of pets in the workplace, given the scientific evidence of positive impacts on humans and their pets.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Animal mediation, Human-animal relationships,Working animals, Societal issues

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Considering the human-animal bond in developing One Health guidelines and standards for companion animals in humanitarian crises

Andrew O'Carroll, Carrie La Jeunesse, Lynn Lieberman Lawry

Published in 2024

Scientific article promoting "One Health" approaches to humanitarian crisis management to improve planning and preparation for the full range of disaster risks affecting humans, other animals and the environment when domestic animals and people are moved together.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines, Exotic pets

Key word:Societal issues, Population management, One Welfare

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Effects of single- or pair-housing on the welfare of shelter dogs: Behavioral and physiological indicators

Hecker G, Martineau K, Scheskie M, Hammerslough R, Feuerbacher EN

Published in 2024

Scientific article reporting that dogs housed in pairs in shelters, even for a short time, exhibit fewer stress-related behaviors (lip licking, whining, and ears back) than dogs housed individually. In addition, the urinary cortisol:creatinine levels in non-isolated dogs were lower.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords: Adoption, Animal-based measurements,Abandonment, Behavioural disorders, Housing, Socialization, Stress, Welfare indicators

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