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Lazybones
Meet Lazybones! He isn't really lazy. In fact, he teaches his owner tricks all the time! He just doesn't like to go out. When he hears Dad call ... he hides! But one day Lazybones runs out of hiding places, and then he HAS to go on a walk. It's hard to try something new! But could it mean making a new friend too?
Book
The Influence of Human–Animal Interactions on Mental and Physical Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in the U.K.: A Qualitative Exploration
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during a period when most of the population is experiencing social and environmental challenges. We investigated how companion animal owners perceived the influence of human–animal interaction on their physical and mental health during the first COVID-19 lockdown phase in the U.K., and what concerns they had regarding their animals at this time. We also explored the impact of participants’ interaction with non-companion animals during this phase. A cross-sectional online survey of U.K. residents aged over 18 was conducted between April and June 2020. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences and/or perceptions of their human–animal relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. A qualitative thematic analysis of responses was undertaken. Four main themes related to the following aspects of human–animal interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were identified: the positive impact of animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., amelioration of wellbeing and mental health), concerns relating to animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., concerns over animals carrying the COVID-19 virus), grief and loss of an animal during the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human–animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals. They also highlight the challenges of caring for an animal during the lockdown phase and indicate the need to consider the development of further targeted support strategies, such as “day care” for the companion animals of key workers in this context.
Journal Article
On your terms or mine: pigs’ response to imposed gentle tactile contact vs. free form interaction with a familiar human
Positive human–animal interactions (HAIs) can be intrinsically rewarding and facilitate positive human–animal relationships. However, HAI paradigms vary across studies, and the influence of different interaction paradigms on the animal’s response has been overlooked. We compared the behavioural responses of pigs (
n
= 28) individually tested with two types of gentle tactile interactions with a familiar human: ‘free form (FF)’ where the pig could voluntarily approach and interact as they normally would, and ‘imposed contact (IC)’ where the human imposed tactile contact on the pig according to a standardised protocol. Pigs did not differ in their level of engagement with the human between the two types of interactions. However, they differed in their behaviour as they explored the pen more during the FF test, while they emitted more low-pitched vocalisations (grunts) during the IC test. These differences can likely be imputed to the IC test differing to the pigs’ habituation to human contact, which could have evoked greater attention to the human or triggered frustration due to violation of expectation. These findings highlight the influence of the predictability of the interaction or level of agency provided to the animal in HAI tests and relation to their previous experience of interacting.
Journal Article
Tactile stimulation reduces reactivity but does not improve the performance of Brahman’s calves
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of tactile stimulation on the reactivity and performance of Brahman calves. One hundred and nine calves were randomly assigned to two treatments: calves that received tactile stimulation (TS, n = 57) and those that did not (NTS, n = 52). Tactile stimulation was performed for eight minutes, 12 hours after birth. The behavioral variables were collected at weaning (209.50 ± 55.83 days) by assigning reactivity scores in the squeeze chute, which ranged from one to five (one was assigned to a calm calf and five to the most reactive). A flight speed score was assigned when each calf exited the squeeze chute. Performance was assessed using the adjusted weaning weight (WW) and daily weight gain (ADG). TS female calves showed lower reactivity scores in the squeeze chute (p < 0.05) and when leaving it (p < 0.05) than NTS calves, but no significant differences were observed in male calves between the treatments (p > 0.05). WW and GMD did not differ between the treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, tactile stimulation performed in Brahman’s calves at birth resulted in less reactivity in female calves without affecting their performance.
Journal Article
Companion Animal Relationships and Adolescent Loneliness during COVID-19
The pandemic associated with the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an unprecedented historical event with the potential to significantly impact adolescent loneliness. This study aimed to explore the role of companion animals and attachment to pets in the context of the pandemic. We used longitudinal quantitative survey data collected prior to and during the pandemic to assess the role of pets in predicting adolescent loneliness. Pet ownership was not a significant predictor of loneliness before the pandemic, but did predict higher levels of loneliness during COVID-19 as well as higher increases in loneliness from before to during the pandemic. Dog ownership predicted lower levels of loneliness prior to, but not during the pandemic, and dog owners were significantly more attached to their pets than non-dog pet owners. Adolescents with pets reported spending more time with their pets during the pandemic, and frequently reported pet interactions as a strategy for coping with stress. Overall, the results from this study did not support the presence of a buffering effect of companion animals on loneliness for adolescents and indicate complexity in the relationships between pet ownership, attachment, loneliness, and coping with stress. These results suggest a need for additional research further assessing how features of the relationship such as species and relationship quality might contribute to adolescent mental health outcomes.
Journal Article
UK pet owners’ use of the internet for online pet health information
The internet has been found to be a popular source for human health information. However, there is a lack of information on pet owners’ use of the internet to source pet health information and implications for the owner–veterinarian relationship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to address this gap in knowledge by focusing on UK pet owners’ general use of the internet to find online pet health information and the impact of this behaviour on the owner–veterinarian relationship. An online survey targeting UK pet owners resulted in 571 respondents. Respondents reported the most frequently used source for pet health information was the internet (78.6 per cent), followed by their veterinarian (72 per cent). Veterinarians and other pet owners, however, were rated as the most trustworthy sources. The topics searched for most often online were specific medical problems (61.3 per cent) and diet/nutrition (58.5 per cent). Regarding the owner–veterinarian relationship, 42.1 per cent of participants reported discussing information they found online ‘sometimes’ with their veterinarian. When asked if their veterinarian recommended specific websites, nearly half (49.6 per cent) stated that their veterinarian ‘never’ made such recommendations, yet over 90 per cent said they would visit veterinarian-recommended websites.
Journal Article
Drawing the line in clinical treatment of companion animals: recommendations from an ethics working party
Modern veterinary medicine offers numerous options for treatment and clinicians must decide on the best one to use. Interventions causing short-term harm but ultimately benefitting the animal are often justified as being in the animal’s best interest. Highly invasive clinical veterinary procedures with high morbidity and low success rates may not be in the animal’s best interest. A working party was set up by the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia to discuss the ethics of clinical veterinary practice and improve the approach to ethically challenging clinical cases. Relevant literature was reviewed. The ‘best interest principle’ was translated into norms immanent to the clinic by means of the ‘open question argument’. Clinical interventions with potential to cause harm need ethical justification, and suggest a comparable structure of ethical reflection to that used in the context of in vivo research should be applied to the clinical setting. To structure the ethical debate, pertinent questions for ethical decision-making were identified. These were incorporated into a prototype ethical tool developed to facilitate clinical ethical decision-making. The ethical question ‘Where should the line on treatment be drawn’ should be replaced by ‘How should the line be drawn?’
Journal Article
No effects of tactile stimulation on welfare indicators of Saanen goat kids: a pilot study
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of tactile stimulation on the welfare of goat kids. Thirty-six goat kids were allocated into three treatments as follows: TSG = taking the goat kids out of the cage every day when they received tactile stimulation, RCG = taking the goat kids out of the cage for 5 s, and NRS = not taking the goat kids out of the cage nor receiving tactile stimulation. TSG goat kids received tactile stimulation once a day, for two minutes, from the 3rd to the 40th day. Goat kids' welfare was assessed by considering performance, health, and behavioral indicators. During the voluntary approach test, 96.5% of the goat kids voluntarily approached familiar and unfamiliar humans. There were significant effects only on the interaction between treatment and age on time spent in the corners and time playing (KW = 27.54 and 47.83, p < 0.01, respectively). We conclude that tactile stimulation did not affect any of the welfare indicators addressed in this study.
Journal Article
Child–Dog Attachment, Emotion Regulation and Psychopathology: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Behaviours
Emerging evidence suggests that pet dogs can offer features of a secure attachment which has been associated with healthy psychological development across the lifespan. Limited research has investigated the underpinning mechanisms that may contribute to the benefits and risks of child–dog attachment during childhood. This study aimed to test the potential mediating role of caregiver-observed positive and negative child–dog behaviours, on the relationship between child-reported child–dog attachment, and caregiver-reported child psychopathology and emotion regulation. Data from 117 caregiver reports and 77 child self-reports were collected through an online survey in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parallel mediation analyses indicated that child–dog attachment had a significant indirect effect on conduct problems through negative child–dog behaviours only. Child–dog attachment had a significant indirect effect on emotional symptoms, peer problems, prosocial behaviour, emotion regulation, and emotional lability/negativity through both positive and negative child–dog behaviours. Although this study found modest effect sizes, the findings suggest that the types of interactions that children engage in with their pet dogs may be important mechanisms through which pet attachment contributes to psychological development throughout childhood, and therefore further attention is warranted. Positive and safe child–dog interactions can be facilitated through education and intervention, which may have implications for promoting positive developmental outcomes.
Journal Article
Quality-of-life aspects in idiopathic epilepsy in dogs
Quality of life (QoL) plays a significant role in the treatment of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), yet is so far understudied. This study describes the outcome evaluation of an online questionnaire based on the carer's perception focusing on 62 QoL questions in 159 dogs with IE. Results showed that seizure frequency, but not seizure severity or presence of cluster seizures, was significantly associated with carer-perceived dog's QoL. Dogs receiving third-line antiepileptic drugs had a significantly lower perceived QoL than those that did not. Generalised linear mixed model analysis demonstrated that severity of the side effects sleeping more and ataxia were significantly associated with carer-perceived dog's QoL, with higher severities predicting lower QoL scores. The degree of carer acceptability of seizure frequency and severity was significantly associated with the dog's reported seizure frequency and severity. Moreover, there was a significant association between IE-related QoL changes of the dog and the carer, with reductions in perceived canine QoL scores associated with reductions in carer QoL, and vice versa. In conclusion, aspects of canine IE can affect both the carer and their dog's QoL. This has implications for the management and requires consideration when treatment options and outcomes are discussed.
Journal Article