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Covenant Creatures
As a religious and charitable organization based in Thurston County, Washington, Covenant Creatures will provide a broad base of services and assistance that include but are not limited to - material and educational assistance for: Street pets and their owners, the working poor, the...
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Automatic Classification of Cat Vocalizations Emitted in Different Contexts
| Contributor(s):: Stavros Ntalampiras, Luca Andrea Ludovico, Giorgio Presti, Emanuela Prato Previde, Monica Battini, Simona Cannas, Clara Palestrini, Silvana Mattiello
Cats employ vocalizations for communicating information, thus their sounds can carry a wide range of meanings. Concerning vocalization, an aspect of increasing relevance directly connected with the welfare of such animals is its emotional interpretation and the recognition of the production...
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Dogs consciously experience emotions: The question is, which?.
| Contributor(s):: Ralph Adolphs
I discuss three themes related to Kujala’s target article. First, the wealth of emerging data on cognitive studies in dogs will surely show that dogs have a very rich repertoire of cognitive processes, for most of which we find homologues in humans. Second, understanding the internal...
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Dogs for GRETA
Dogs for GRETA trains psychiatric service dogs for survivors of sexual assault diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Our mission is to provide support and advocacy for these survivors. Psychiatric service dogs are trained to support their handler by performing tasks directly...
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Psychological and Physical Benefits of Interactions with Horses
| Contributor(s):: Jillian Hatcher, Clay Cavinder, Courtney P. Heaton, Lesli Figueiredo, Alex Holtcamp, Thu Dinh
Although much research exists concerning how horses can benefit people with specific debilitating impairments, relatively few studies have pursued what benefit horses offer people in the way of stress relief and improved quality of life. Study participants interacted with horses by grooming...
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Change the Humans First: Principles for Improving the Management of Free-Roaming Cats
| Contributor(s):: Lynette J. McLeod, Donald W. Hine, Aaron B. Driver
In Australia, free-roaming cats can be found in urban and rural areas across the country. They are inherently difficult to manage but it is frequently human behaviour that demands the most attention and is in most need of change. To the frustration of policy makers and practitioners, scientific...
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Eye Blink Rates and Eyelid Twitches as a Non-Invasive Measure of Stress in the Domestic Horse
| Contributor(s):: Katrina Merkies, Chloe Ready, Leanne Farkas, Abigail Hodder
Physiological changes provide indices of stress responses, however, behavioural measures may be easier to determine. Spontaneous eye blink rate has potential as a non-invasive indicator of stress. Eyelid movements, along with heart rate (HR) and behaviour, from 33 horses were evaluated over...
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The Long Journey Home: Traveling with Beau
| Contributor(s):: Donald F. Smith
In Part 11 in a series of stories reflecting on a 2007 trip to Alaska with his dog, Beau, preparations were made for Doris to fly home while Dr. Smith and Beau retraced their route across North America. The remaining 10 days of the trip were relatively uneventful.
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From Ontario to Wisconsin: Traveling with Beau
| Contributor(s):: Donald F. Smith
In Part 3 in a series of stories reflecting on a 2007 trip to Alaska with his dog, Beau, the travelers cross northern Ontario into Michigan and Wisconsin and reach St. Croix Falls on the Minnesota border.
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Burden and predictors of Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius infections among dogs presented at an academic veterinary hospital in South Africa (2007–2012)
| Contributor(s):: Daniel N. Qekwana, James Wabwire Oguttu, Fortune Sithole, Agricola Odoi
Background Staphylococci are commensals of the mucosal surface and skin of humans and animals, but have been implicated in infections such as otitis externa, pyoderma, urinary tract infections and post-surgical complications. Laboratory records provide useful information to help investigate...
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The Influence of Pets on Decisions of Older Adults' with Chronic Conditions
| Contributor(s):: Sara Basilia Basin
Many older adults view pets as companions, and are responsible for their pet’s care and well-being. Research suggests that people prioritize their pet’s needs, although it may jeopardize their own safety. Some older adults forego, delay, or refuse care in order to remain...
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What Can We Do for Amphibians and Reptiles at Schools? Between Personal Conceptions, Conceptual Change and Students' Pro-Environmental Attitudes
| Contributor(s):: Zofia Anna Chylenska, Eliza Rybska
Students’ conceptions and conceptual change are deeply investigated phenomena, and the results of such studies can be implemented in the didactic process. For this research, amphibians and reptiles were chosen, because they are animals which are significant for ecosystems but at the same...
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Pets Against Loneliness (PAL)
Pets Against Loneliness is a group of volunteers in north London bringing together older members of the community with well-behaved dogs and their owners for the purposes of joy and the alleviation of loneliness. PAL is guided by three key values: community, companionship, and...
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Animal Disaster Training: Assessing Disaster Preparedness and Perceptions of Responders
| Contributor(s):: Carla L. Huston
Extension has an important role in addressing animal issues in communities. An evaluation of animal disaster preparedness and perceptions of participants in a large-animal emergency training course was conducted through precourse and postcourse surveys, and survey data from first responders...
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How do primary pre-service teachers assess circus with animals and its educational value? A study with Portuguese, Spanish and Greek students
| Contributor(s):: António Almeida, Beatriz García Fernández, Penelope Papadopoulou
This study aimed to check the opinion of primary pre-service teachers about circus with animals, including if they recognize any educational value in this type of show and how they assess the animals’ treatment in this place. For that, a questionnaire with open and closed questions was...
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Kouluviihtyvyys koiraluokissa - fenomenologinen tapaustutkimus koiraluokkakokemuksista
| Contributor(s):: Katariina Karvinen
Tämä on kvalitatiivinen tapaustutkimus Suomen perusopetuksen koiraluokista. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tarkastella koiraluokkatoimintaa kouluviihtyvyyden näkökulmasta sekä lisätä tietoa ja ymmärrystä koiraluokista yleensä. Lähestyn aihetta...
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Marking frequency during intraspecific socialization sessions is related to urinary cortisol levels in shelter dogs
| Contributor(s):: Daniela Alberghina, Gina Pumilia, Pierluigi Raffo, Giuseppe Distefano, Giuseppe Piccione, Michele Panzera
The aim of this study was to determine whether behavioural indicators such as marking frequency and whether cortisol/creatinine ratio (C/Cr) are influenced by three socialization sessions. Six adult shelter dogs were selected: Group 1 (n.3) with adequate social experience and Group 2 with...
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Effects of a Nutritional Supplement on Cognitive Function in Aged Dogs and on Synaptic Function of Primary Cultured Neurons
| Contributor(s):: Maria Elena Pero, Laura Cortese, Vincenzo Mastellone, Raffaella Tudisco, Nadia Musco, Anna Scandurra, Biagio D’Aniello, Giuseppe Vassalotti, Francesca Bartolini, Pietro Lombardi
The objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of DìSeniorTM, a nutraceutical formulated to improve cognitive functions in elderly dogs. To this purpose, some clinical and metabolic investigations and a spatial navigation test were performed in treated and untreated dogs....
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A Long-Term Lens: Cumulative Impacts of Free-Roaming Cat Management Strategy and Intensity on Preventable Cat Mortalities
| Contributor(s):: John D. Boone, Philip S. Miller, Joyce R. Briggs, Valerie A. W. Benka, Dennis F. Lawler, Margaret Slater, Julie K. Levy, Stephen Zawistowski
This study used a previously developed stochastic simulation model (1) to estimate the impact of different management actions on free-roaming kitten and cat mortality over a 10-year period. These longer-term cumulative impacts have not been systematically examined to date. We examined seven...
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Studying dog emotion beyond expression and without concern for feeling
| Contributor(s):: Peter F. Cook
Studies of dog emotion have focused on the expression of social emotion, either because this is taken to suggest human-like feeling states in dogs or because it has been the most accessible signal of dog emotional processing. I argue for an approach grounded in affective neuroscience, relying...
