Animal Studies Commons^™

Two Major Ontario Hospital Labs Bought Research Dogs From U.S. Breeder With Troubled Pastdogs Bred For Scientific And Medical Testing Suffer Abuse As The Scientific Industry Increasingly Turns To Alternatives For Research., Allison Hunter, Mary Beech, Sami Marshak, Kate Morano

Capstones

The purpose-bred dog breeding industry for research is little known. Each year, thousands of dogs are bred for scientific and medical testing, supplied to research facilities by a handful of major commercial breeders. But gaps in enforcement and regulation have allowed abuses to persist, even as the industry increasingly turns to alternatives to animal testing. Animal rights advocates have been decrying the treatment of these dogs. A federal Inspector General report found lax oversight of the industry, raising further concerns about how dogs are treated. This story was reported in collaboration with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, based in Toronto, and …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Incorporating An Innovative Kennel In A Guide Dog Program Based On The Health And Welfare Of Dogs And Humans, Naoko Koda, Miwa Murata, Sakura Mizuta

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

During guide dog training, dogs live in kennels and lack house training. The demand for guide dogs that can live easily with their users who are visually impaired is increasing. The Kansai Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (KGBDA) in Japan built an innovative wooden kennel (Mokka Terrace) that is more similar to homes than general kennels and that efficiently controlled dogs and reviewed their operations. This study conducted a literature survey, participant observations, and semi-structured interviews with staff to clarify the background and consensus-building process involved in creating the Mokka Terrace, corresponding efforts, and its strengths, issues, and prospects. …

Feedlot Willingness To Pay For Genomic Tested Feeder Cattle, Aisling G. Hagan, Karen L. Delong, Andrew P. Griffith, Christopher N. Boyer, Charley Martinez, Kimberly Jensen, Susan Schexnayder

Journal of Extension

Feeder cattle genomic tests assess the potential of economically important traits to feedlots such as residual feed intake and marbling. A survey was utilized to determine feedlot willingness to pay for genomic tested feeder cattle. Depending on test results, feedlots were willing to pay as much as 4.60% more for genomic tested cattle compared to untested cattle. Feedlots prioritize using genomic tests for marketing decisions and future purchases, despite reporting "poor" knowledge and perceived high costs associated with the tests. Findings can assist Extension personnel advising cattle producers about the potential uses and benefits of this technology.

Using Silvopasture To Mitigate Heat Stress In Grazing Beef Cattle, Sydney L. Lofland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of silvopasture on mitigating heat stress in grazing beef cattle by comparing physiological and behavioral responses between shaded and non-shaded pastures. Twenty-two multiparous cows were monitored over a 20-day summer trial in East Texas. Data were collected on respiration rate, heart rate, heat stress scores, and behaviors including eating, ruminating, walking, and resting. Average respiration rates and behavior proportions did not differ significantly between treatments. Afternoon periods showed peak physiological stress across all cattle, but silvopasture appeared to buffer extreme responses. Although limitations such as data gaps and a shortened trial impacted interpretation, findings suggest …

Inhibitory Control In Asian Elephants, Gillian Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

Inhibitory control is defined as the ability to suppress a prepotent motor response in favor of a more efficient or advantageous behavior, and is an important core executive function. Although elephants are known to behave flexibly and display other executive functions, there is currently little information available on if, and to what extent, they display inhibitory control. We tested 16 captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) (N = 8 males, 8 females) ranging in age from 4-years-old to 60-years-old at the National Elephant Institute in Thailand using a classic detour paradigm adapted to be more ecologically salient for them through the …

Cultivating Resilience In The Anthropocene: Evaluating A Gssw Ecological Justice Curriculum, Windy Selig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice evaluated the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) Ecological Justice Pathway to examine how resilience is conceptualized and cultivated within the curriculum. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and guided by an ecological justice framework, this evaluation explored the pedagogical and curricular strategies designed to prepare social work students for the emotional, ethical, and professional demands of practicing in the Anthropocene—a time marked by ecological degradation, climate crisis, and compounding social inequities.

Through qualitative methods, including faculty interviews and curriculum document analysis, the evaluation identified both explicit and implicit components that foster student resilience. …

Political Ecologies Of The Livestock Industry, Jecca Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States today, livestock production is dominated by an intensified, industrialized production paradigm whose growth in recent decades has utterly transformed the logistical realities and community impacts of animal agriculture. This dissertation investigates the effects of this production paradigm on livestock producers—whose decision-making is shaped by multi-scalar and often contradictory forces—as well as residents living near these large operations. To do so, I draw upon mixed-methods fieldwork, including in-depth interviews, spatial analysis, and field odor measurements in Weld and Morgan Counties in northern Colorado. I also use political ecologies of emotion, embodiment, and health to examine the complex …

Developmental Lead Exposure And Aggression In Male Rats: Influences Of Maternal Care And Environmental Enrichment, Shamaila Zafar, Courtney K. Williams, Jaehyun Joo, Blanca E. Himes, Jay S. Schneider

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in a variety of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues including increased antisocial behavior and aggression. This study investigated the effect of developmental Pb exposure on aggression and violent behavior in male rats and the potential modulatory influences of quality of maternal care and enriched/non-enriched housing conditions. Long-Evans male rats with or without Pb exposure (perinatal or early postnatal) from low or high maternal care mothers (based on amounts of licking/grooming and arched- back nursing) were randomly assigned to live in enriched or non-enriched environments at weaning. At post- natal day 120–190, offensive aggression was assessed …

The Sound Of Music: Why Do Humans Find Enrichment In Music While Non-Human Primates Do Not?, Sonetta Im Ty

Honors Projects

Music has been observed as an effective enrichment for captive animals across multiple species. However, studies have shown that it is ineffective for promoting welfare in non-human primates (Suborder Haplorhini). These findings were unexpected, given the evolutionary roots shared between humans and non-human primates. This paper addresses several possibilities for this observation, including differences in ear anatomy, brain structure, and music perception between humans and non-human primates.

Field Journal: The Excluded Middle, Carrie E. Kouts

Masters Theses

What does it look like to engage with organisms and landscapes at the periphery of anthropocentric value structures? How does one break the internalized myth that the “built” environment is excluded from the natural world? When does a hyper-mobile and hyper-commodified society confront the exponential crisis of animal death? Within this series of journal entries, field notes, collection observations, weird prose, and sensory musings, one will find questions on the nature of being human and the complex narratives of care we encounter in a world shared with more-than-humans. Each handwritten vignette and photograph from daily life weaves a non-linear and …

Applying Supervision To Animal Assisted Therapy: Using The Integrative Development Model, Rachel W. Rachlinski, Kelli A. Mcfarland

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A study conducted by Hartwig and Smelser (2018) reported 91.7% of clinicians being aware of animal assisted therapy (AAT) who agree it is a legitimate treatment model. However, 57% of respondents expressed interest in receiving AAT training. Although published standards and competencies published by ACA and IAHAIO indicate the requirement for clinical supervision when implementing AAT, research does not address supervision protocols for AAT. This manuscript suggests a protocol for supervising the implementation of AAT. The consequence of untrained supervisors is the potential harm to the well-being of the client as well as the clinician and the animal. As such, …

Exploring The Landscape Of Animal Advocacy In Egypt: Insights Into Stray, Wildlife, And Farmed Animal Rights, Yara Moussa, Wasseem Emam

General - Animal Protection

This article examines the landscape of animal advocacy in Egypt, a nascent and growing field in one of Africa’s largest economies and most densely populated countries. It focuses on three types of animal advocacy: 1) stray animal welfare, 2) wildlife conservation, and 3) farmed animal welfare. The paper critically analyses current practices and trends in each of these areas, highlighting the main challenges and opportunities facing the growth of the movement. Our research draws on insights from interviews with active animal welfare organizations, situating their practical experiences, daily operational struggles, as well as instances of success, within Egypt’s wider socio-economic …

Exploring Mimicry And Visual Communication In Woodpeckers: A Field Study Utilizing 3d-Printed Models, Lauren M. Smith

Biology Theses

The evolution of similar phenotypes poses an interesting challenge in evolutionary biology. While divergent ecologies may drive differing morphology, physiology, or behavior, similar phenotypes are often due to similar ecology or selection for mimicry. One prominent case of mimetic phenotypes is found in hairy and downy woodpeckers. While several hypotheses might explain the hairy-downy mimicry complex, I aimed to assess the idea that downy woodpeckers benefit from resembling hairy woodpeckers. To test this hypothesis, I used 3D-printed models of various woodpecker species in the field. These models were painted with colors that resemble woodpecker species. The experimental conditions were 3D …

Investigating Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Signatures Of Opioid-Induced Risk-Taking Behavior, Cana Quave

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Opioid use disorder occurs alongside impaired risk-related decision-making, but the underlying neural correlates are unclear. We developed an approach-avoidance conflict task using a modified conditioned place preference procedure to study neural signals of risky opioid seeking in the prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in executive decision-making. Following morphine conditioned place preference, rats underwent a conflict test in which fear-inducing cat odor was introduced in the previously drug-paired side of the apparatus. While the saline-exposed control group avoided cat odor, the morphine group included two subsets of rats that either maintained a preference for the paired side despite the presence of …

American Letters: Loren Eiseley

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Except from: The Bird and the Machine, The Immense Journey (1957)

Living And Dying With Rats (Essay), Trent Mcfury

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

It is unlikely that a dystopian work would begin with, “Rats have not been seen for centuries, even in Venice.” [...]

Although many species disturb our peace, destroy our crops, and/or are outright dangerous, the eco-existential scaling of a rat (and mice), broonie or pixie-like, makes it a convenient analogical and projective emblem of invasion and subsequent extermination. That which abundantly reproduces, keenly clusters, transforms our bodies, challenges our wits, follows and then remains, travels and then stays, is also a psyche-mirror.

Enhancing Animal Shelter Operations With Time Series And Machine Learning, Sakava L. Kiv, Donald L. Anderson, Shivam Negi, Jacquelyn Cheun

SMU Data Science Review

Enhancing animal shelter operations through machine learning involves employing a variety of advanced techniques aimed at increasing efficiency, promoting animal welfare, and optimizing resource allocation. This paper explores predictive analytics for adoption rates using regression models to estimate the likelihood of adoption based on historical data, encompassing variables such as breed, health status, and previous adoption trends. Additionally, classification algorithms are utilized to categorize animals by adoption probability, facilitating better resources and marketing prioritization. Clustering algorithms are employed to group animals according to behavior patterns and/or physical health, enabling tailored medical care and enrichment activities that improve their mental and …

The Jacksons' Debate, Marcus Vinicius Neves

Vernacular: New Connections in Language, Literature, & Culture

The Jacksons’ Debate” explores ethical dilemmas through an alien civilization considering human consumption. This philosophical sci-fi story examines sentience, moral responsibility, and societal progress from a unique perspective. Blending dark humor with social commentary, it challenges readers to reflect on human behavior and ethical decision-making in the face of necessity and scientific advancement.

Urban Beavers At The Crossroads: How Ecological Knowledge, Sociodemographic, And Spatial Context Shape Public Perception And Coexistence Preferences, Matthew Guziejka

Dissertations and Theses

Urban beavers demonstrate synurbization by adapting to urban environments, offering ecological benefits such as biodiversity enhancement and flood mitigation, while also occasionally conflicting with infrastructure. This study examines how ecological knowledge, sociodemographics, and spatial context influence public perceptions and management preferences for urban beavers in the Tualatin River watershed, Oregon.

A voluntary survey of 176 participants from peri-urban areas assessed demographic characteristics, ecological knowledge, and attitudes toward management approaches. Spatial factors, such as proximity to watercourses and green spaces, were also analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore relationships between these factors and management preferences. Political orientation was significantly …

Investigating The Relationship Among Environmental Factors, Reproductive Status, And Stress In A Preclinical Model Of Endocrine Function In Women’S Translational Health, Bianca A. Camacho, Laura Emma Garcia, Raquel Villarreal, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: The average menstrual cycle of a healthy adult woman is a duration of approximately 28 days, during which in the follicular phase (first 14 days) the progesterone hormone is at a stable level while estrogen increases to its peak level on day 14. Day 14 is known as ovulation, during which progesterone increases during its Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge while estrogen decreases. Menses, known colloquially as a woman’s “period,” begins approximately at day 14 after ovulation and lasts an average of 7 days. The luteal phase, otherwise known as the secretory phase, lasts for the remaining 14 days until …

Under The Bay: Analysis Of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Dive Behavior In The Urban San Diego Bay, Emily Carter

Theses

Sea turtles are air-breathing marine reptiles that spend their lives performing dives to travel, forage, and rest. Several dive types have been previously recorded for sea turtles, each type being associated with a different set of behaviors. U-dives, or Type 1 dives are widely characterized by extensive benthic periods preceded by and concluding with abrupt descent and ascent phases respectively (Minamikawa et al. 1997; Houghton et al. 2002; Seminoff et al. 2006). These dives are widely affiliated with turtle resting behavior though can be indicative of additional activities including benthic travel and foraging. Previous research of green turtle dive behavior …

Taking Back Control: Using The Takings Clause To Hold Animal Agriculture Responsible For Its Waste Problem, Rowan Aragon

Northwestern University Law Review

Between the mid-twentieth century and modern day, the animal-agriculture model has shifted from small farms to industrial operations. During that evolution, the negative externalities of animal-farming practices have intensified. One of those externalities—animal waste—has become particularly problematic. Because of the sheer number of animals raised in the United States for slaughter and dairy production, the magnitude of animal waste produced is overwhelming. To deal with this problem, animal farmers often liquefy the animal waste and then spray it onto open fields. In that spraying process, liquefied animal waste carries through the air and reaches nearby homes, coating those properties with …

Public Relations And Marketing On Websites Of Guide Dog Organizations, Sakura Mizuta, Mayuko Kato-Shimizu, Naoko Koda

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

This study investigates websites of organizations that train and provide guide dogs to visually impaired people and present marketing methods as social welfare services. The study also makes suggestions for improving the websites. Among the members of the International Guide Dog Federation, 110 official websites of the organizations were analyzed. Websites were evaluated based on criteria including organizational basics, staff details, top page images, donation information, guide dog application guidance, user comments, and specific guide dog information. The websites play various roles, such as providing both general and visually impaired people with information on organizational activities, while calling for donations. …

Career: The Behavioral, Hormonal, And Neural Basis Of Coyote Monogamy, Sara M. Freeman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

A Relational Developmental Theory Of Human-Animal Interaction: A Meta-Synthesis And Grounded Theory, Erin Flynn, Miriam G. Valdovinos, Megan K. Mueller, Kevin N. Morris

Graduate School of Social Work: Faculty Scholarship

Limited research has explored youths’ relationships with animals as a possible ecological asset. We conducted a qualitative meta-synthesis of studies published before 2022 that examined how youth-animal interactions are described as shaping youth social-emotional health in education and therapeutic settings. We compared and combined the patterns of findings to determine which mechanisms within youth-animal coaction might be theorized to shape social, emotional, and behavioral development for youth in education and therapy contexts. We used a grounded theory approach to further analyze the primary data and compare it with extant relational developmental systems literature to suggest a new theoretical model for …

Donald Griffin, Scientific Revolutions, And Reclaiming Humanity’S Place In The Living World, Paul Waldau

Animal Sentience

Donald Griffin’s work revolutionized cognitive ethology and continues to challenge human exceptionalism by emphasizing rigorous, unbiased inquiry. His legacy calls for a deeper recognition of humanity’s place within the broader animal community, urging interdisciplinary approaches that bridge science, ethics, and cultural traditions to foster a more inclusive understanding of life.

Animal Triangulation – Expanding The Oppressed/Oppressor Binary To A Triadic Constituency: The Oppressor, The Proxy, And The Oppressed, Katherine A. Abelanet

English Dissertations - Archive

Drawing on three fields of study, Animal Studies, Black Studies, and Shakespeare Studies, this dissertation examines animal triangulation as a system of oppression in which three constituents are triangulated for the benefit of the oppressor. Through triangulation, the oppressed/oppressor duality expands, creating a triad: the oppressor, the proxy, and the oppressed. This reimagining of the traditional binary of oppression opens new areas of conversation by adding an additional component. In animal triangulation, a proxy is created when an oppressor trains an animal or an animalized human to produce an abusive outcome on an oppressed group. By using a proxy, the …

Human-Bear Conflicts In Western Montana: Mapping Attractants And Prevention Efforts, Jessica Nichole Reyes

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Human-bear conflicts (conflicts) are rising across North America, largely due to the expansion of the wildland-urban interface into bear habitat. These conflicts are driven by ecological and human factors, including habitat fragmentation, loss of natural food sources and the widespread availability of human-related attractants such as garbage, fruit trees, and bird feeders. While studies increasingly examine the ecological and spatial predictors of conflicts, fewer have explored how attractant types, land cover changes, and local geography shape conflict trends. Montana communities have long managed bear conflicts, but recent increases in incidents and human-caused bear mortalities—alongside expanding grizzly bear populations—have prompted growing …

Social Behavior & Personality In Corn Snakes, Maggie-Rose Johnston

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The sociality of snakes, long thought simplistic, has been shown to be governed by a host of different factors such as kinship, experience, sex, weight and personality. There is, however, still a need to untangle how snakes prioritize different kinds of information when interacting. I hypothesized that examining each dyad that composes a group could partly predict how individuals would behave in a larger group context, providing insight into the mechanisms governing aggregation. Six groups of six corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) had their personalities tested, then underwent dyadic interactions with each member of their cohort followed by a …