Helminth Fauna in Captive European Gray Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) in Germany

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Johanna Daniela Bindke, Andrea Springer, Michael Böer, Christina Strube

Captive as well as free-ranging wolves, which are currently recolonizing Germany, may harbor a variety of gastrointestinal parasites. This study investigated endoparasites in captive European gray wolves (Canis lupus lupus) using coproscopical methods. Fecal samples were collected monthly...

The Value Chain Approach in One Health: Conceptual Framing and Focus on Present Applications and Challenges

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Nicolas Antoine-Moussiaux, Marisa Peyre, Pascal Bonnet, Charles Bebay, Mohammed Bengoumi, Astrid Tripodi

The value chain (VC) is a major operational concept for socioeconomic analysis at meso level. Widely mobilized in development practice, it is still undergoing conceptual and practical refining, e.g., to take account of environmental and social sustainability. Briefly, VC refers to a system of...

Beyond Animal Husbandry: The Study of Farm Animal Cognition and Ensuing Ethical Issues

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): C C Croney, B Gardner, S Baggot

Concerns about the welfare of agricultural animals in corporate or “factory farming” systems are growing. Increasingly, it is suggested that modern farm animal production practices are morally objectionable, causing physical and mental suffering to animals. Such criticisms are...

Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Paul D McGreevy, Bethany Wilson, Melissa J Starling, James A Serpell

Castration of dogs is a widespread practise with clear justification in population control and knock-on benefits for animal welfare. Deleterious behavioural consequences of castration are believed to be negligible. Gonadectomy is widely recommended as part of a multi-factorial approach to...

They Say Emotional Support Dog, We Say Service Dog: Why the Americans with Disabilities Act Should Recognize Emotional Support Dogs as Service Animals

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Chelsea Hernandez-Silk

This article explores the laws surrounding emotional support animals. Specifically, the author analyzes the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Air Carrier Access Act. This article proposes that emotional support animals should be recognized under federal legislation...

An Exploration of the Benefits of Animal-Assisted Activities in Undergraduate Students in Singapore

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Jolene Muckle, Nicola Lasikiewicz

The rise in psychological problems, attrition and suicide rates of university students has been linked to the stressful challenges faced during university life. To buffer this, Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) may assist in improving psychological and physiological well-being in students,...

A Different Approach to Horse Handling, Based on the Jeffery Method

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Marcy Wilhelm-South, Judith K Blackshaw, Des Kirk, Sharon E Cregier

A method of horse training is discussed which is based on an old technique known in Australia as the "Jeffery method." It makes use of several behavioral principles, including understanding of horse behavior, reinforcement for desired behavior, and use of flight distance principles.

Effect of hippotherapy in the global motor coordination in individuals with Down Syndrome

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Marcy Wilhelm-South, Valéria Sovat de Freitas Costa, Hudday Mendes da Silva, Monique de Azevêdo, André Ribeiro da Silva, Ludmila Lucena Pereira Cabral, Jonatas de França Barros

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) of all genetic syndromes is the most common. In Hippotherapy, three-dimensional movements, provided by horse walking, awaken in the body of children with DS a large amount of sensory and neuromuscular stimuli, which directly interfere with overall development...

For the Love of Darcie: recognising the human-companion animal relationship in housing law and policy

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Deborah Rook, Marcy Wilhelm-South

This paper identifies the law’s failure to recognise and protect the human-companion animal relationship in the housing arena. The nature of the human-companion animal relationship has striking similarities to human-human relationships in the socially supportive aspects of the...

Impact of an animal-assisted therapy programme on physiological and psychosocial variables of paediatric oncology patients

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Nathiana B. Silva, Flávia L. Osório

The objective of this study was to propose an intervention and safety protocol for performing animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and evaluating its efficacy in children under outpatient oncological treatment based on psychological, physiological, and quality of life indicators for the children and...

Effects of a Form of Equine-Facilitated Learning on Heart Rate Variability, Immune Function, and Self-Esteem in Older Adults

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Ann L. Baldwin, Barbara K. Rector, Ann C. Alden

Equine-facilitated learning (EFL) helps people access their immediate sensations and feelings because horses, as prey animals, are continually aware of their environment and provide instant feedback to human behaviors and emotions. We hypothesize that during EFL, older people become more aware...

How Wolves Turned into Dogs and How Dogs Are Valuable in Meeting Human Social Needs

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Kurt Kotrschal

A wealth of recent behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic results allows us to draw a new, comprehensive picture of the human-wolf-dog relationship. Dogs originated from wolves 35,000 years ago, mainly via selection for tameness. Wolves were probably spiritual partners and hunting buddies of...

The zoonotic potential of Clostridium difficile from small companion animals and their owners

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Rabold D, Espelage W, Abu Sin M, Eckmanns T, Schneeberg A, Neubauer H, et al.

Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in humans range from asymptomatic carriage to life-threatening intestinal disease. Findings on C. difficile in various animal species and an overlap in ribotypes (RTs) suggest potential zoonotic transmission. However, the impact of...

Animal-assisted intervention in the ICU: a tool for humanization

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Megan M. Hosey, Janice Jaskluski, Stephen T. Wegener, Linda L. Chlan, Dale M. Needham

The combination of an aging population and advances in critical care medicine is resulting in a growing number of survivors of critical illness [1]. Survivors’ descriptions of their stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) are frequently filled with traumatic events, and include experiences...

The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Helen Louise Brooks, Kelly Rushton, Karina Lovell, Penny Bee, Lauren Walker, Laura Grant, Anne Rogers

There is increasing recognition of the therapeutic function pets can play in relation to mental health. However, there has been no systematic review of the evidence related to the comprehensive role of companion animals and how pets might contribute to the work associated with managing a...

Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Rebecca A Johnson, David L. Albright, James R. Marzolf, Jessica L. Bibbo, Hayley D. Yaglom, Sandra M. Crowder, Gretchen Carlisle, Amy Willard, Cynthia L. Russell, Karen Grindler, Steven Osterlind, Marita Wassman, Nathan Harms, Marcy Wilhelm-South

Background Large numbers of post-deployment U.S. veterans are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI), leading to an urgent need for effective interventions to reduce symptoms and increase veterans’ coping. PTSD includes anxiety,...

Child-Canine Bonding in Children with ASD: Findings Within and Across Case Studies

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Kathryn Struik, John-Tyler Binfet

 The demand for support for families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to grow, and one increasingly popular avenue of support is the use of companion canines. Parents searching for service canines trained to work with children with ASD, however, face formidable...

Private Animal Welfare Standards—Opportunities and Risks

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Frida Lundmark, Charlotte Berg, Helena Rockilnsberg

The current shift moves the governance of animal welfare away from the government towards the private market and the consumers. We have studied the intentions, content, and on-farm inspection results from different sets of animal welfare legislation and private standards with an aim to highlight...

Exploring the Gaps in Practical Ethical Guidance for Animal Welfare Considerations of Field Interventions and Innovations Targeting Dogs and Cats

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Louisa Tasker, Susan F Getty, Joyce R Briggs, Valerie A.W. Benka

Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis silvestris catus) are common species targeted by nongovernmental or intergovernmental organizations, veterinarians and government agencies worldwide, for field interventions (e.g., population management, rabies vaccination programs) or...

In the Eye of the Beholder: Owner Preferences for Variations in Cats' Appearances with Specific Focus on Skull Morphology

Journal Articles | Contributor(s): Mark J Farnworth, Rowena M.A. Packer, Lorena Sordo, Ruoning Chen, Sarah M. A. Caney, Danielle A Gunn-Moore

Changes in the popularity of cat breeds are largely driven by human perceptions of, and selection for, phenotypic traits including skull morphology. The popularity of breeds with altered skull shapes appears to be increasing, and owner preferences are an important part of this dynamic. This...