Understanding the role of stress in animal welfare: practical considerations.

Wolfle, Thomas L.

doi:10.1079/9780851993591.0355

Cited by 9 publications

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“…Enrichment is used as a stress-reduction technique ([49] and references therein; [50]) and stress is believed to mediate the relationship between problem behaviors and well-being [51]–[53]. However, inconsistencies in the literature make it necessary to clarify how and when the HPA axis responds to enrichment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important to determine how well a change in behavior correlates with measures of physiological stress [47] , especially if behavioral responses to enrichment are to be integrated effectively into measures of emotional state and, subsequently, well-being and quality of life of captive animals (see [7] , [46] , [48] ). Enrichment is used as a stress-reduction technique ( [49] and references therein; [50] ) and stress is believed to mediate the relationship between problem behaviors and well-being [51] – [53] . However, inconsistencies in the literature make it necessary to clarify how and when the HPA axis responds to enrichment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

et al. 2011

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Enrichment is widely used as tool for managing fearfulness, undesirable behaviors, and stress in captive animals, and for studying exploration and personality. Inconsistencies in previous studies of physiological and behavioral responses to enrichment led us to hypothesize that enrichment and its removal are stressful environmental changes to which the hormone corticosterone and fearfulness, activity, and exploration behaviors ought to be sensitive. We conducted two experiments with a captive population of wild-caught Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) to assess responses to short- (10-d) and long-term (3-mo) enrichment, their removal, and the influence of novelty, within the same animal. Variation in an integrated measure of corticosterone from feathers, combined with video recordings of behaviors, suggests that how individuals perceive enrichment and its removal depends on the duration of exposure. Short- and long-term enrichment elicited different physiological responses, with the former acting as a stressor and birds exhibiting acclimation to the latter. Non-novel enrichment evoked the strongest corticosterone responses of all the treatments, suggesting that the second exposure to the same objects acted as a physiological cue, and that acclimation was overridden by negative past experience. Birds showed weak behavioral responses that were not related to corticosterone. By demonstrating that an integrated measure of glucocorticoid physiology varies significantly with changes to enrichment in the absence of agonistic interactions, our study sheds light on potential mechanisms driving physiological and behavioral responses to environmental change.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

et al. 2011

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“…Each animal responds to environmentally induced stress differently, because responses to stress vary based on the individual histories of the animal (Wolfle 2000). Thus, it makes sense to test each animal individually instead of making assumptions based on age or breed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The View from All Fours: A Look at an Animal-Assisted Activity Program from the Animals' Perspective

Hatch

2007

Anthrozoös

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In recent decades, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animalassisted activity (AAA) programs have gained in popularity. A growing literature documents the benefits of AAT/AAA for humans. The prevalent perspective for AAT/AAA research is "what can non-human animals do for us?" with no apparent consideration to what such programs may do for, or to, the animals involved. Ample research reveals that animals are minded actors with the capacity to feel complex emotions. Consequently, AAT/AAA programs should benefit the animals as well as the humans involved. Based on interviews with human volunteers in an animal shelter's AAA program and participant observation in the same program, this paper investigates the animals' experience in AAA. Specifically, this study discusses the use of shelter animals as "volunteer therapists" and concludes that AAT/AAA programs raise numerous concerns for the animals involved. These findings indicate the need for more attention to the experience of animals in AAT/AAA programs.

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“…It is important to determine how well a change in behavior correlates with measures of physiological stress [47], especially if behavioral responses to enrichment are to be integrated effectively into measures of emotional state and, subsequently, well-being and quality of life of captive animals (see [7,46,48]). Enrichment is used as a stress-reduction technique ( [49] and references therein; [50]) and stress is believed to mediate the relationship between problem behaviors and well-being [51][52][53]. However, inconsistencies in the literature make it necessary to clarify how and when the HPA axis responds to enrichment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correction: Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

Fairhurst¹,

Frey²,

Reichert³

et al. 2011

PLoS ONE

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Enrichment is widely used as tool for managing fearfulness, undesirable behaviors, and stress in captive animals, and for studying exploration and personality. Inconsistencies in previous studies of physiological and behavioral responses to enrichment led us to hypothesize that enrichment and its removal are stressful environmental changes to which the hormone corticosterone and fearfulness, activity, and exploration behaviors ought to be sensitive. We conducted two experiments with a captive population of wild-caught Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) to assess responses to short-(10-d) and long-term (3-mo) enrichment, their removal, and the influence of novelty, within the same animal.Variation in an integrated measure of corticosterone from feathers, combined with video recordings of behaviors, suggests that how individuals perceive enrichment and its removal depends on the duration of exposure. Short-and long-term enrichment elicited different physiological responses, with the former acting as a stressor and birds exhibiting acclimation to the latter. Non-novel enrichment evoked the strongest corticosterone responses of all the treatments, suggesting that the second exposure to the same objects acted as a physiological cue, and that acclimation was overridden by negative past experience. Birds showed weak behavioral responses that were not related to corticosterone. By demonstrating that an integrated measure of glucocorticoid physiology varies significantly with changes to enrichment in the absence of agonistic interactions, our study sheds light on potential mechanisms driving physiological and behavioral responses to environmental change.

show abstract

Understanding the role of stress in animal welfare: practical considerations.

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

The View from All Fours: A Look at an Animal-Assisted Activity Program from the Animals' Perspective

Correction: Does Environmental Enrichment Reduce Stress? An Integrated Measure of Corticosterone from Feathers Provides a Novel Perspective

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