Animal category: Mammals

Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in accredited zoos and aquariums

Lisa K. Lauderdale, Jill D. Mellen, Michael T. Walsh, Douglas A. Granger, Lance J. Miller

Published in 2021

Scientific review presenting the results of the Cetacean Welfare Study's research "Towards Understanding Cetacean Welfare in Zoos and Aquariums". The results include the definition of reference ranges and species-specific values for blood variables and fecal hormone metabolites to assess welfare, information that is available free of charge via an iOS app.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Human-animal relationships, Learning, training, Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Impact of Estrogens Present in Environment on Health and Welfare of Animals

Konrad Wojnarowski, Paweł Podobiński, Paulina Cholewińska, Jakub Smoliński, Karolina Dorobisz

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the harmful effects of oestrogens on animal health and welfare (feminisation, reproductive disorders, physiological disturbances, disruption of programmed cell death, development of tumours). It concludes that there is a lack of scientific data on animals as compared to humans.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords:Environment, Livestock farming system

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Activity Budget Comparisons Using Long-Term Observations of a Group of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care: Implications for Animal Welfare

Tim Huettner, Sandra Dollhaeupl, Katrin Baumgartner, Lorenzo von Fersen

Published in 2021

Scientific paper reporting long-term observations of the behaviour of a group of dolphins in a dolphinarium. It highlights that noise leads to decreases in play behaviour and training performance, and increased time spent swimming rapidly, and that significant changes to time allocation in activity budgets can affect the animals' welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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The upper temperature thresholds of life

Senthold Asseng, Dietrich Spänkuch, Ixchel M Hernandez-Ochoa, Jimena Laporta

Published in 2021

A scientific review of the extreme temperature thresholds for different living organisms, concluding that they are similar for most animals, agricultural crops and humans, and that excessively high temperatures, especially when these are combined with high humidity, cause heat stress and can be fatal even for short exposures.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Mammals, Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to its environment, Environment, Welfare indicators, Stress

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European Parliament: Answer to question E-004032/2019 Increasing illegal trade in pets

Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2020

Will the European Commission draw up a cross-sectoral Community action plan to combat the illegal pet trade?
Does the Commission have any specific suggestions as to the extent to which the range of sanctions applicable to operators involved in the illegal pet trade could be strengthened?

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords: Societal issues, Human-animal relationships

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2019 report on the statistics on the use of animals for scientific purposes in the Member States of the European Union in 2015-2017

EU Commission

Published in 2020

Report on the use of animals for experimental purposes in the Member States of the European Union from 2015 to 2017. Data on the number of animals used, types of use, and the number and uses of genetically modified animals.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Mammals, Fish

Keywords: Societal issues

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European Parliament: Written answer to Question E-003870/2019 on trafficking of pets in the European Union

Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2020

Question: Does the European Commission really intend to fight this parallel economy [animal trafficking], given that such a fight implies a direct challenge to the current economic model ?

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords: Societal issues, Human-animal relationships

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Stunning methods and slaughter of rabbits for human consumption

EFSA

Published in 2020

Opinion on the different methods of stunning and procedures for the slaughter of rabbits in abbatoirs and on their risks and consequences for animal welfare. Identification of indicators for unconsciousness and death.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords: Anxiety, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Risk management, Fear, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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From Science to Practice: A Review of Laterality Research on Ungulate Livestock

Lisette M. C. Leliveld

Published in 2019

Study of functional laterality in farmed ungulates and its practical applications in reducing stress and improving health and welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords: Brain integration, Stress

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Health and welfare of rabbits farmed in different production systems

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW)

Published in 2020

Scientific opinion on welfare of rabbits, comparing six rearing systems: conventional cages, structurally enriched cages, raised hutches, floor hutches, outdoor/partial outdoor rearing and organic rearing.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Mammals

Keywords: Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Environment, Housing, Living environment, Livestock farming system

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