Subject: Interspecies relationships

Global Animal Partnership Releases Initial List of Eligible Broiler Breeds for Animal Welfare Certification

Robin Chwatko

Published in 2021

News item presenting the results of scientific work commissioned by the Global Animal Partnership to understand and measure the welfare levels of broiler chickens. This work has resulted in a list of breeds that have high genetic welfare levels and are therefore recommended for welfare-friendly breeding.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Genome editing and farmed animals

Pete Mills

Published in 2021

Report describing genome editing techniques, and critically analysing their potential use for livestock. It makes recommendations, in particular the need for a full scientific review of the literature before changing the UK regulations in this area and for a dialogue between scientists and the public on these issues.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Resilience, Robustness, Livestock farming system

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Stress-Related Behaviors in Companion Dogs Exposed to Common Household Noises, and Owners' Interpretations of Their Dogs' Behaviors

Emma K. Grigg, Juliann Chou, Emily Parker, Anwyn Gatesy-Davis, Sara T. Clarkson, Lynette A. Hart

Published in 2021

Scientific article highlighting that some owners underestimate their dog's fear in response to household noise and respond inappropriately. It advises that dog owners should be better educated to interpret their pets' body language correctly, in order to safeguard the latter's welfare and avoid the development of behavioural problems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Anxiety, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Psychiatric disorder

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Loi sur la maltraitance animale : Quand députés et Gouvernement adoptent une loi pour les animalistes, le Sénat votera, lui, une loi pour les animaux 

Philippe Péjo

Published in 2021

Press release from the Senate presenting the adoption of the bill to combat animal abuse and stressing that the approved text goes further than the initial government proposal in that it allows publication of advertisements for the sale of animals to take place only on websites previously approved by the ministry that have undertaken to respect the requirements it has laid down.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

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Anthropomorphism and Its Adverse Effects on the Distress and Welfare of Companion Animals

Daniel Mota-Rojas, Chiara Mariti, Andrea Zdeinert, Giacomo Riggio, Patricia Mora-Medina, Alondra del Mar Reyes, Angelo Gazzano, Adriana Domínguez-Oliva, Karina Lezama-García, Nancy José-Pérez, Ismael Hernández-Ávalos

Published in 2021

Scientific review analysing the adverse effects of anthropomorphism on pet welfare from several perspectives - physiological, health and behavioural - based on a discussion of current scientific findings

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines, Exotic pets

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Psychiatric disorder

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Analysis of Housing Risk Factors for the Welfare of Lean and Heavy Pigs in a Sample of European Fattening Farms

Paolo Ferrari, Alessandro Ulrici, Matteo Barbari

Published in 2021

Scientific paper investigating the risk factors for welfare and health on pig-fattening farms in 7 European countries, and showing that it is possible to divide them into 3 risk categories according to the body weight of the animals and the presence of a solid floor resting area.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress, Livestock farming system

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How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport

Tamzin Furtado, Liane Preshaw, Jo Hockenhull, Jennifer Wathan, Janet Douglas, Sue Horseman, Rebecca Smith, Danica Pollard, Gina Pinchbeck, Jan Rogers Carol Hall

Published in 2021

Scientific article providing the views of equestrian sportsmen and women and of animal welfare researchers on the current welfare violations in equestrian sport. Respondents emphasised the conflict between the demands of competition and the psychological needs of horses, and were of the view that efforts to improve welfare should focus on training. They considered existing welfare assessment tools to be ill-suited to the real-life conditions of training and competition.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

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

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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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Conservation, animal behaviour, and human-animal relationship in zoos. Why is animal welfare so important?

Isabel Escobar-Ibarra, Daniel Mota-Rojas, Fernando Gual-Sill, Carlos R. Sánchez, Fidel Baschetto, María Alonso-Spilsbury

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the literature on the strengths and weaknesses of modern zoos in terms of wild-animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

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

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Pet Reptiles - Are We Meeting Their Needs?

Alexandre Azevedo, Leonor Guimarães, Joel Ferraz, Martin Whiting, Manuel Magalhães-Sant'Ana

Published in 2021

Scientific article showing that although Portuguese pet reptile owners' knowledge of their animals' behaviour is generally good, they have very little knowledge of their pets' basic needs and that the conditions under which these are kept are often detrimental to their welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Reptiles

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

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