The welfare of dogs in human care

Hubrecht, Robert; Wickens, S; Kirkwood, James

doi:10.1017/9781139161800.014

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 117 publications

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“…While we can see an acknowledgment of the limitations of the research environment for these creatures in the AWA requirement that consideration is given to primate psychological welfare and that dogs be allowed to exercise, much more than exercise for dogs and attention to psychological factors for primates is at stake. For dogs, living a good life will require extensive companionship, whether with conspecifics or others (such as humans), habituation and training, time spent outdoors in enjoying open spaces and smells, avoidance of boredom, and play [49]. For nonhuman primates, engaging in appropriate social structures, foraging for food, having access to outdoor territories, and intellectual engagement are all factors in flourishing [50,51].…”

Section: Character and Animal Flourishingmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Mice to Monkeys? Beyond Orthodox Approaches to the Ethics of Animal Model Choice

Walker

Eggel

2020

Animals

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Recent developments in genome editing tools, along with limits in the translational potential of rodent models of human disease, have spurred renewed biomedical research interest in large mammals like nonhuman primates, pigs, and dogs. Such scientific developments raise ethical issues about the use of these animals in comparison with smaller mammals, such as mice and rats. To examine these ethical questions, we first consider standard (or “orthodox”) approaches, including ethics oversight within biomedical research communities, and critical theoretical reflections on animal research, including rights-based and utilitarian approaches. We argue that oversight of biomedical research offers guidance on the profession’s permitted uses of animals within a research setting and orthodox approaches to animal ethics questions when and whether animals should be used in biomedicine; however, neither approach sufficiently investigates the nuances of ethical practices within the research setting. To fill this lacuna, we consider a virtue ethical approach to the use of specific animal models in biomedicine. From this perspective, we argued that limitations on flourishing for large mammals in a research setting, as well as potential human-animal bonds, are two sources of likely ethical tensions in animal care and use in the context of larger mammals.

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Section: Character and Animal Flourishingmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Mice to Monkeys? Beyond Orthodox Approaches to the Ethics of Animal Model Choice

Walker

Eggel

2020

Animals

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“…More recently, animal welfare organizations have begun focusing on the standard of care that dogs receive while in the shelter [ 5 ]. In part, this is in recognition of the potential stressors within the environment, including excessive noise [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ], spatial restriction [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], social isolation [ 13 ], loss of attachment figures [ 14 ], loss of control [ 15 ] and lack of a daily routine [ 16 ]. One way to mitigate the impact of these stressors is through the use of enrichment interventions intended to improve welfare [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the Impact of Brief Outings on the Welfare of Dogs Living in US Shelters

Gunter

Gilchrist

Blade

et al. 2021

Animals

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Social isolation likely contributes to reduced welfare for shelter-living dogs. Several studies have established that time out of the kennel with a person can improve dogs’ behavior and reduce physiological measures of stress. This study assessed the effects of two-and-a-half-hour outings on the urinary cortisol levels and activity of dogs as they awaited adoption at four animal shelters. Dogs’ urine was collected before and after outings for cortisol:creatinine analysis, and accelerometer devices were used to measure dogs’ physical activity. In total, 164 dogs participated in this study, with 793 cortisol values and 3750 activity measures used in the statistical analyses. We found that dogs’ cortisol:creatinine ratios were significantly higher during the afternoon of the intervention but returned to pre-field trip levels the following day. Dogs’ minutes of low activity were significantly reduced, and high activity significantly increased during the outing. Although dogs’ cortisol and activity returned to baseline after the intervention, our findings suggest that short-term outings do not confer the same stress reduction benefits as previously shown with temporary fostering. Nevertheless, it is possible that these types of outing programs are beneficial to adoptions by increasing the visibility of dogs and should be further investigated to elucidate these effects.

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“…Dogs in homes spend much of their day in sedentary activities and are active in moderate to vigorous physical exercise for small portions of the day (Morrison et al, 2013). However, the space allowed dogs in animal shelters is likely inadequate to meet their basic activity needs (Hubrecht, Wickens & Kirkwood, 1995). In addition to the inhibition of free movement due to kennel size, shelter living also limits dogs’ ability to interact with other dogs as they are often housed singly to prevent injury and disease (Hubrecht, 1995); yet this social isolation is likely detrimental to their welfare (Beerda et al, 1999a; Beerda et al, 1999b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the effects of a temporary fostering program on shelter dog welfare

Gunter

Feuerbacher

Gilchrist

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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One of the greatest stressors for dogs living in animal shelters is social isolation. Many studies have demonstrated that human interaction reduces cortisol in shelter dogs, with the possibility that longer periods of interaction may yield greater effects. These types of interventions are contingent upon removing the dog from the kennel and any such reductions in cortisol are often lost when the dog returns to the kennel. More recently, animal shelters are utilizing short-term fostering programs to provide relief from the perceived stresses of kennel life; however the effects of these programs are not well understood. This study assessed the impacts of one- and two-night fostering programs on the urinary cortisol levels, resting pulse rates, longest bout of uninterrupted rest, and proportion of time spent resting of dogs awaiting adoption. Five animal shelters, open and limited-admission facilities, from across the United States participated in the study. During the study, dogs’ urine was collected in the morning before, during, and after fostering stays for cortisol: creatinine analysis. Non-invasive health monitors were worn by the dogs, which collected heart rates and activity levels, in the shelter and in foster homes. In total, 207 dogs participated in the study, and 1,076 cortisol values were used in our analysis. Across all shelters, we found that dogs’ cortisol: creatinine ratios dropped significantly during their fostering stay, but returned to baseline levels after return to the shelter. However, the observed reduction in cortisol varied in magnitude across shelters. We found that dogs of greater weight, age, and average resting pulse rate had higher cortisol levels; and dogs with longer bouts of uninterrupted rest had lower cortisol levels. Dogs had their longest bouts of rest during sleepovers, followed by in the shelter after their sleepovers. Lastly, significant differences were found when comparing in-shelter cortisol values at our five shelters, differences that were in some cases greater than the impact of the fostering intervention itself. Considering the diversity of facilities that participated in this study, it is possible that as yet unstudied, shelter-specific, environmental factors could be contributing to the overall welfare of shelter dogs. Thus while a reprieve from the shelter is impactful for dogs awaiting adoption, mitigating the stressors present in kenneling conditions should also be addressed to improve the lives of shelter dogs.

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The welfare of dogs in human care

Cited by 10 publications

References 117 publications

From Mice to Monkeys? Beyond Orthodox Approaches to the Ethics of Animal Model Choice

From Mice to Monkeys? Beyond Orthodox Approaches to the Ethics of Animal Model Choice

Investigating the Impact of Brief Outings on the Welfare of Dogs Living in US Shelters

Evaluating the effects of a temporary fostering program on shelter dog welfare

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