Animal Studies Commons^™

Letter, Jarrod Bailey

Opposition to Animal Research Collection

In a recent publication in Lab Animal,1 a nonhuman primate (NHP) researcher at the California National Primate Research Center, USA, argued for the continued importance of experiments on macaques for better understanding HIV and AIDS, and for tackling the virus and the disease with therapies and vaccines. Though the stance of the author is far from surprising, given his background and current employer (an organisation which houses around 5000 monkeys for research), the paper, even as comprehensive as it is, is not sufficiently critical of NHP experiments and overlooks a number of their deficiencies and established problems with them. Given …

Report On Owned Dog Population Survey In Cebu City, Philippines, Kazami Joanne Amano, Tamara Kartal

Demography and Statistics for Companion Animal Populations Collection

Many Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines have been dealing with rabies for a long time. In the Philippines alone, there are about 200 human deaths reported annually. The vast majority of which are caused by dog bites (Deray, 2015). Domestic dogs have been reported as the source of infection of more than 95% of human rabies cases worldwide (Cleaveland, et al., 2006). It is therefore a good strategy to focus on the source in order to eliminate rabies. The recommendation of the World Health Organization is to reach at least 70% vaccination coverage of the existing domestic dog population …

Online Hunting Forums Identify Achievement As Prominent Among Multiple Satisfactions, Alena M. Ebeling-Schuld, Chris T. Darimont

Big-Game and Trophy Hunting Collection

Understanding hunter satisfactions can lead to improved wildlife management policy and practice. Whereas previous work has suggested that hunters often seek multiple satisfactions (achievement, affiliation, appreciation), little is known about how satisfactions might vary with target species. Additionally, past research has mostly gathered data using interviews and surveys, which might limit scope as well as introduce strategic bias for potentially provocative subjects such as hunting. To address these gaps, we analyzed data from online hunting forums, which provide an open-access source of peer-to-peer discussion that is geographically and taxonomically broad. We used directed qualitative content analysis to analyze hunting narratives …

Does Detection Range Matter For Inferring Social Networks In A Benthic Shark Using Acoustic Telemetry?, Johann Mourier, Nathan Charles Bass, Tristan L. Guttridge, Joanna Day, Culum Brown

Social Behavior Collection

Accurately estimating contacts between animals can be critical in ecological studies such as examining social structure, predator–prey interactions or transmission of information and disease. While biotelemetry has been used successfully for such studies in terrestrial systems, it is still under development in the aquatic environment. Acoustic telemetry represents an attractive tool to investigate spatio-temporal behaviour of marine fish and has recently been suggested for monitoring underwater animal interactions. To evaluate the effectiveness of acoustic telemetry in recording interindividual contacts, we compared co-occurrence matrices deduced from three types of acoustic receivers varying in detection range in a benthic shark species. Our …

How Social Contagion Helps Explain Our Pet Choices, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

In 1939, Londoners killed 400,000 dogs and cats in four days. Why?

Therapy Dogs For Homesick College Students?, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

New research examines the impact of dog therapy for homesick college students.

Impact Of Stress, Fear And Anxiety On The Nociceptive Responses Of Larval Zebrafish, Javier Lopez-Luna, Qussay Al-Jubouri, Lynne U. Sneddon

Sentience Collection

Both adult and larval zebrafish have been demonstrated to show behavioural responses to noxious stimulation but also to potentially stress- and fear or anxiety- eliciting situations. The pain or nociceptive response can be altered and modulated by these situations in adult fish through a mechanism called stress-induced analgesia. However, this phenomenon has not been described in larval fish yet. Therefore, this study explores the behavioural changes in larval zebrafish after noxious stimulation and exposure to challenges that can trigger a stress, fear or anxiety reaction. Five-day post fertilization zebrafish were exposed to either a stressor (air emersion), a predatory fear …

People -- Marine Mammal Interactions, Andrew Butterworth, Mark P. Simmonds

Our relationships with marine mammals are complex. We have used them as resources, and in some places this remains the case; viewed them as competitors and culled them (again ongoing in some localities); been so captivated and intrigued by them that we have taken them into captivity for our entertainment; and developed a lucrative eco-tourism activity focused on them in many nations. When we first envisaged this special topic, we had two overarching aims:

Firstly, we hoped to generate critical evaluation of some of our relationships with these animals.

Secondly, we hoped to attract knowledgeable commentators and experts who might …

Cephalopod Complex Cognition, Jennifer Mather

Cognitive Ethology Collection

Cephalopods, especially octopuses, offer a different model for the development of complex cognitive operations. They are phylogenetically distant from the mammals and birds that we normally think of as ‘intelligent’ and without the pervasive social interactions and long lives that we associate with this capacity. Additionally, they have a distributed nervous system — central brain, peripheral coordination of arm actions and a completely separate skin appearance system based on muscle-controlled chromatophores. Recent research has begun to show how these apparently separate systems are coordinated. Learning and cognition are used toward prey, in antipredator actions and in courtship. These examples show …

International Consensus Principles For Ethical Wildlife Control, Sara Dubois, Nicole Fenwick, Erin A. Ryan, Liv Baker, Sandra E. Baker, Ngaio J. Beausoleil, Scott Carter, Barbara Cartwright, Federico Costa, Chris Draper, John Griffin, Adam Grogan, Gregg Howald, Bidda Jones, Kate E. Littin, Amanda T. Lombard, David J. Mellor, Daniel Ramp, Catherine A. Schuppli, David Fraser

Ethics and Conservation Biology Collection

Human–wildlife conflicts are commonly addressed by excluding, relocating, or lethally controlling animals with the goal of preserving public health and safety, protecting property, or conserving other valued wildlife. However, declining wildlife populations, a lack of efficacy of control methods in achieving desired outcomes, and changes in how people value animals have triggered widespread acknowledgment of the need for ethical and evidence-based approaches to managing such conflicts. We explored international perspectives on and experiences with human–wildlife conflicts to develop principles for ethical wildlife control. A diverse panel of 20 experts convened at a 2-day workshop and developed the principles through a …

Report On Owned Dog Population Survey In Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines, Kazami Joanne Amano, Tamara Kartal, Amit Chaudhari

Demography and Statistics for Companion Animal Populations Collection

The Philippines has consistently been one of the top countries with an existing rabies problem. There is an average of 200 human rabies deaths reported annually, the majority of which are caused by dog bites (Deray, 2015). Globally, more than 95% of human rabies cases have been reported to have domestic dogs as their sources of infection (Cleaveland, et al., 2006). Therefore, it is paramount to address the rabies problem by focusing on the source. It has been established that communities achieve at least 70% vaccination coverage of the dog population to eliminate canine rabies (WHO, 2015) and maintain the …

Advances In Neuroscience Imply That Harmful Experiments In Dogs Are Unethical, Jarrod Bailey, Shiranee Pereira

Professional Science Research Ethics Collection

Functional MRI (fMRI) of fully awake and unrestrained dog 'volunteers' has been proven an effective tool to understand the neural circuitry and functioning of the canine brain. Although every dog owner would vouch that dogs are perceptive, cognitive, intuitive and capable of positive emotions/empathy, as indeed substantiated by ethological studies for some time, neurological investigations now corroborate this. These studies show that there exists a striking similarity between dogs and humans in the functioning of the caudate nucleus (associated with pleasure and emotion), and dogs experience positive emotions, empathic-like responses and demonstrate human bonding which, some scientists claim, may be …

What's The Deal With "Furries?", Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

What a decade of research reveal about a misunderstood subculture.

Why Kids With Pets Are Better Off, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

Controversial study helps explain the impact of pets on child development.

The European Politics Of Animal Experimentation: From Victorian Britain To ‘Stop Vivisection’, Pierre-Luc Germain, Luca Chiapperino, Giuseppe Testa

Attitudes Toward Animal Research Collection

This paper identifies a common political struggle behind debates on the validity and permissibility of animal experimentation, through an analysis of two recent European case studies: the Italian implementation of the European Directive 2010/63/EC regulating the use of animals in science, and the recent European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) 'Stop Vivisection'. Drawing from a historical parallel with Victorian antivivisectionism, we highlight important threads in our case studies that mark the often neglected specificities of debates on animal experimentation. From the representation of the sadistic scientist in the XIX century, to his/her claimed capture by vested interests and evasion of public …

Large Study Finds Pet Owners Are Different, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

New research helps explain health difference between pet owners and non-owners.

Letter To The Editor, Jarrod Bailey

Validation of Animal Experimentation Collection

It seems clear that heeding the opinions and recommendations of experienced neuroscientists such as Professor Beuter, the well-argued probable opinion of the time-travelling Parkinson, and Grimm and Eggel’s demands for high animal welfare and honest and realistic harm–benefit analyses, will be of paramount importance for the advancement and evolution of experiments involving NHPs, particularly in neuroscience. This will benefit animals and humans alike.

Absence Of Typical Haversian System From The Compact Bone Of Some Reptile And Bird Species, Yasser Ahmed, Mohamed Abdelsabourv Khalaf, Fatma Khalil

Histology Collection

Background and Objective: Mammalian compact bone is composed mostly of Haversian system. Although there are many studies describing the typical Haversian system in mammals, there are few studies conducted on bones from non-mammalian species. The objective of the current study was to investigate the existence of the typical Haversian system in compact bones from reptiles and birds.

Materials and Methods: Femora were collected from geckos, Nile monitors, sparrows, ducks and geese. Samples were then, fixed in 10% paraformaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or Von Kossa and then examined using light microscopy.

Results: …

Exploring The Differences Between Pet And Non-Pet Owners: Implications For Human-Animal Interaction Research And Policy, Jessica Saunders, Layla Parast, Susan H. Babey, Jeremy V. Miles

Human-Companion Animal Relationships Collection

There is conflicting evidence about whether living with pets results in better mental and physical health outcomes, with the majority of the empirical research evidence being inconclusive due to methodological limitations. We briefly review the research evidence, including the hypothesized mechanisms through which pet ownership may influence health outcomes. This study examines how pet and non-pet owners differ across a variety of sociodemographic and health measures, which has implications for the proper interpretation of a large number of correlational studies that attempt to draw causal attributions. We use a large, population-based survey from California administered in 2003 (n = 42,044) …

African Penguins Follow The Gaze Direction Of Conspecifics, Christian Nawroth, Egle Trincas, Livio Favaro

Social Cognition Collection

Gaze following is widespread among animals. However, the corresponding ultimate functions may vary substantially. Thus, it is important to study previously understudied (or less studied) species to develop a better understanding of the ecological contexts that foster certain cognitive traits. Penguins (Family Spheniscidae), despite their wide interspecies ecological variation, have previously not been considered for cross-species comparisons. Penguin behaviour and communication have been investigated over the last decades, but less is known on how groups are structured, social hierarchies are established, and coordination for hunting and predator avoidance may occur. In this article, we investigated how African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) …

Can Pet Crickets Improve The Well-Being Of The Elderly?, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

New clinical trial finds surprising beneficial effects of caring for insects.

Stress Profile Influences Learning Approach In A Marine Fish, Vincent Raoult, Larissa Trompf, Jane E. Williamson, Culum Brown

Personality Collection

The spatial learning skills of high and low stress juvenile mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) were tested in a dichotomous choice apparatus. Groups of fish were formed based on background blood cortisol levels and required to learn the location of a food reward hidden in one of two compartments. Low stress fish characterised by low background levels of the stress hormone cortisol had higher activity levels and entered both rewarded and unrewarded rooms frequently. Within the first week of exposure, however, their preference for the rewarded room increased, indicative of learning. Fish that had high background levels of cortisol, in …

Skeptics And “The White Stuff” : Promotion Of Cows’ Milk And Other Nonhuman Animal Products In The Skeptic Community As Normative Whiteness, Corey Lee Wrenn

Dietary Choice and Foods of Animal Origin Collection

This article discusses a dairy advertising campaign featuring skeptic Derren Brown. I explore the various health claims made in the ads as well as a report Brown featured on his website that claimed consumption of cow’s milk is linked to longevity. I discuss how dairy consumption is largely linked to race and ethnicity. It is a practice enjoyed primarily by European whites as most nonwhites are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is a normal biological process associated with weaning, but it is medicalized and made deviant because it is not part of the white experience. I also mention comments made by …

Intrapopulation Diversity In Isotopic Niche Over Landscapes: Spatial Patterns Inform Conservation Of Bear–Salmon Systems, Megan S. Adams, Christina N. Service, Andrew Bateman, Mathieu Bourbonnais, Kyle A. Artelle, Trisalyn Nelson, Paul C. Paquet, Taal Levi, Chris T. Darimont

Population Distribution and Habitat Collection

Intrapopulation variability in resource acquisition (i.e., niche variation) influences population dynamics, with important implications for conservation planning. Spatial analyses of niche variation within and among populations can provide relevant information about ecological associations and their subsequent management. We used stable isotope analysis and kernel-weighted regression to examine spatial patterns in a keystone consumer–resource interaction: salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) consumption by grizzly and black bears (Ursus arctos horribilis, n = 886; and Ursus americanus, n = 557) from 1995 to 2014 in British Columbia (BC), Canada. In a region on the central coast of BC (22,000 km² ), grizzly bears consumed …

Scoping Review Of Indicators And Methods Of Measurement Used To Evaluate The Impact Of Dog Population Management Interventions, Elly Hiby, Kate Nattras Atema, Rebecca Brimley, Alexandra Hammond-Seaman, Mark Jones, Andrew Rowan, Emelie Fogelberg, Mark Kennedy, Deepashree Balaram, Louis Nel, Sarah Cleaveland, Katie Hampson, Sunny Townsend, Tiziana Lembo, Nicola Rooney, Helen Rebecca Whay, Joy Pritchard, Jane Murray, Lisa Van Dijk, Natalie Waran, Heather Bacon, Darryn Knobel, Lou Tasker, Chris Baker, Lex Hiby

Management and Control of Companion Animal Populations Collection

Background: Dogs are ubiquitous in human society and attempts to manage their populations are common to most countries. Managing dog populations is achieved through a range of interventions to suit the dog population dynamics and dog ownership characteristics of the location, with a number of potential impacts or goals in mind. Impact assessment provides the opportunity for interventions to identify areas of inefficiencies for improvement and build evidence of positive change.

Methods: This scoping review collates 26 studies that have assessed the impacts of dog population management interventions.

Results: It reports the use of 29 indicators of change under 8 …

Can Dogs Help Solve Our Childhood Obesity Problem?, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

New studies show how dogs impact the weight and activity levels of kids.

A Decade Of Progress Toward Ending The Intensive Confinement Of Farm Animals In The United States, Sara Shields, Paul Shapiro, Andrew N. Rowan

Housing and Confinement of Farm Animals Collection

In this paper, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) farm animal protection work over the preceding decade is described from the perspective of the organization. Prior to 2002, there were few legal protections for animals on the farm, and in 2005, a new campaign at the HSUS began to advance state ballot initiatives throughout the country, with a decisive advancement in California (Proposition 2) that paved the way for further progress. Combining legislative work with undercover farm and slaughterhouse investigations, litigation and corporate engagement, the HSUS and fellow animal protection organizations have made substantial progress in transitioning the …

Why Do Animal Shelter Workers Burn Out?, Harold Herzog

'Animals and Us' Blog Posts

New research reveals some downsides to “being called” to save animals.

Dominance And Leadership: Useful Concepts In Human-Horse Interactions?, Elke Hartmann, Janne W. Christensen, Paul Mcgreevy

Animal Training and Obedience Collection

Dominance hierarchies in horses primarily influence priority access to limited resources of any kind, resulting in predictable contest outcomes that potentially minimize aggressive encounters and associated risk of injury. Levels of aggression in group-kept horses under domestic conditions have been reported to be higher than in their feral counterparts but can often be attributed to suboptimal management. Horse owners often express concerns about the risk of injuries occurring in group-kept horses, but these concerns have not been substantiated by empirical investigations. What has not yet been sufficiently addressed are human safety aspects related to approaching and handling group-kept horses. Given …

A Decade Of Progress Toward Ending The Intensive Confinement Of Farm Animals In The United States, Sara Shields, Paul Shapiro, Andrew Rowan

Farm Animal Welfare Collection

In this paper, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) farm animal protection work over the preceding decade is described from the perspective of the organization. Prior to 2002, there were few legal protections for animals on the farm, and in 2005, a new campaign at the HSUS began to advance state ballot initiatives throughout the country, with a decisive advancement in California (Proposition 2) that paved the way for further progress. Combining legislative work with undercover farm and slaughterhouse investigations, litigation and corporate engagement, the HSUS and fellow animal protection organizations have made substantial progress in transitioning the …