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An Evaluation of Trap-Neuter-Release Practices for Free-Roaming Cat Populations
| Contributor(s):: Brian Gaston
As of 2002, estimates of free-roaming domestic cat (Felis catus) populations exceeded 100 million individuals, throughout the United States. Many lost or abandoned cats will revert to living outdoors as free-roaming individuals. To try to control the abundance of free-roaming cats,...
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Assessing the Perceptions of the Use of a Courthouse Facility Dog Program with Child and Youth Witnesses
| Contributor(s):: Melissa Glazer
This study evaluates the use of a courthouse facility dog program as a testimonial aid for children and youth testifying in court to help reduce secondary trauma. Court officials’ perceptions of the use of a courthouse facility dog program were assessed through a structured interview and...
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Socialization and problem-solving in domestic cats (Felis catus)
| Contributor(s):: Mary Howard
There is evidence that an animal’s socialization towards humans and rearing environment can enhance their problem-solving ability. According to the social intelligence hypothesis, which states that intelligence evolved due to complex social environments, an animal’s social life...
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Gender and leadership in animal sheltering organizations
| Contributor(s):: Jennifer Blevins Sinski
This study explores the connection between gender, leadership and implementation of best practice strategies to reduce or eliminate euthanasia of healthy, adoptable companion animals in animal sheltering organizations. The purpose of this mixed methods study utilizing an online survey and...
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Canine for Disabled Kids Awareness Campaign Research and Implementation Plan
| Contributor(s):: Jiamin Gu, Kendall Harcourt, Chang Liu, Kiamu Liu, Jemmie Tejada
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) service animals are: “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities” ( ADA, 2015). On the other hand, emotional support animals are: “dogs that provide comfort and support in...
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Catpanion: A UI/UX iOS-based App Design to support cat adoptions
| Contributor(s):: Chenchen Ji
Homeless and abandoned cats are becoming an issue in urban areas around the world: a majority of them may carry illnesses that may lead to infectious diseases. Once back in the wild, cats may also harm the ecological equilibrium of urban areas as they are known to be hunters of birds and...
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Estimation of Dog-bite Rates and Evaluation of Healthcare Seeking Behaviors following Dog Bite, Haiti
| Contributor(s):: Gabrielle Johnson, Gerardo Chowell
Background: Haiti has been identified as one of only several countries in the Western Hemisphere in which canine rabies control efforts have succeeded in eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths. In 2016, a study was conducted to test several alternative vaccination methods that may...
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Effects of Multi-Day Music Enrichment on Salivary Cortisol and Cage Behavior in Shelter Dogs
| Contributor(s):: Stacy D. Engerbretson
Rehoming shelters provide their animals with environmental enrichment with the expectation that modifying the physical space will improve kennel-related stress and subsequently abate undesirable behaviors. Although enrichment has shown moderate success at improving in-kennel behavior, increased...
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Urban Animals: GIS Analysis of Stray Canines and Felines in Albuquerque, New Mexico
| Contributor(s):: Courtney Brock
While human influence and progress has shaped the cityscape of Albuquerque, New Mexico, many stray animals also consider this city to be their home. Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare Department holds a human responsibility over these urban animals and their habitat displacement, requiring them...
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The Effects of the Human Voice on the Behavioral Indicators of Stress in Dogs Housed in an Animal Shelter
| Contributor(s):: Juliana M. Hypes
Animal shelters are very stressful environments for the animals housed there. Dogs that live in shelters have been observed exhibiting stress-related behavior such as barking, pacing, aggression and fear related behaviors such as cowering. Behaviors of this nature are off-putting to prospective...
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FUNDoggy: Using gamification and social network services to create a mobile fundraising application for helping shelter dogs
| Contributor(s):: Yu Ri Na
The proliferation of new media is rapidly changing the world of philanthropy and more effective methods of raising funds and developing donor relationships must be sought. Furthermore, today’s trends indicate that the amount of giving by individuals has increased gradually, but the...
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Design of a Canine Prosthesis for Front Limb Deformities
| Contributor(s):: Norma Bachman, Melanie Lasso, Oluwajomiloju Olaode, Elizabeth Walfield, Mushtaq Al Zuhairi
The current canine prosthesis market is catered towards dogs with amputations. Due to the variations in limb deformities, there is yet to be a customizable solution. Instead, the production of prostheses for deformities occurs on a ‘case-by-case’ basis and the products are tailored...
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Exploring Collaborations between Veterinarians & Rescues/Shelters
| Contributor(s):: Jacquie Cobb
A survey of private practice veterinarians in the Chicago area was conducted in an effort to pinpoint what constitutes a positive relationship between a veterinarian and a rescue group or shelter. The following research questions guided this project: From the perspective of veterinarians, what...
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Marketing Ideas that Could Improve Adoptions and Reduce Return Rates of Dogs in Shelters in the State of Michigan
| Contributor(s):: Marcy Wilhelm-South, Bryan Klemett
Dogs have always been something that attracts people’s attention. It is hard to decide whether it is their fur, their cuteness, or their personality that makes them lovable. The area I chose to conduct my research is in marketing. Since dogs are man’s best friend, what other better...
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The Benefits of Human-Animal Interaction on College Campuses
| Contributor(s):: Robert Michael Perry
The benefits of human-animal interactions has aroused the interests of many stakeholders in comparative psychology. Research has shown that humans are the principal beneficiaries. The main benefits include improved health; increased learning; improved moods; and reduction of stress....
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Fetching Interactive Dog Occupier (FIDO)
| Contributor(s):: Hannah Katherine Brown, Rebecca Ruth Renner, Michael Ezra Goldman, Domenic James Mucci, Harry Atwood Lanphear, Gregory F. Shannon
Dogs require exercise and play to stimulate them both mentally and physically, frequently through the game of “fetch”. However, physically disabled dog owners may lack the strength or endurance to play with their pets. We developed a prototype for an autonomous fetching...
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The Perceived and Actual Impact of Outdoor Domestic Cats on Local Ecology in Massachusetts, and the Effects of Education on Cat Owner Behavior
| Contributor(s):: Olivia Shraibati, Christian Zelaya
This project, Impact of Outdoor Cats and Educational Effects on Cat Owners, created a survey to assess the perceived ecological impact of domestic cats by residents of Massachusetts. It found that cat owners were overwhelmingly unaware of the full effects of their pet’s predation habits....
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Extraction of Antioxidants from Animal Blood and its Potential Application as a Pet Food Preservative
| Contributor(s):: Chengyi Tu
Nowadays, more and more people are having pets as members of their family. To the year of 2012, there are 78.2 million dogs and 86.4 million cats owned in the U.S according to the report of the Humane Society of the U.S. The pet food industry as a result has been prosperous, with an estimated...
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It's Not Just A Dog: The Role of Companion Animals in the Family's Emotional System
| Contributor(s):: Cassandra Leow
Past studies have looked into the role of companion animals in families. This study intended to explore the role of companion animals in the family’s emotional system through the lens of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Data from a study on companion animal loss and grief were used. A...
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Therapy Dogs in the College Classroom: The Effect of Dogs on Stress, Anxiety, and Spanish L2 Phonological Learning and Performance
| Contributor(s):: Elaine Maralee Henry
Anxiety and stress invoked by the second language classroom setting has the ability to cause numerous detrimental physiological changes which impair the learning process. A more natural, “immersion” type atmosphere is often desired when teaching a second language; however, this is...
