Publications

Frog in the well: A review of the scientific literature for evidence of amphibian sentience

Millions of amphibians are traded annually around the world for the exotic pet industry. Their experience during both trade, and in captivity as pets, leads to numerous animal welfare issues. The poor welfare of many pet amphibians is due in...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad, Salamander

Citation: Lambert, H., Elwin, A., D'Cruze, N. 2022. Frog in the well: A review of the scientific literature for evidence of amphibian sentience. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 247, 105559.

Effects of environmental enrichment on recognition memory in zebrafish larvae

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) constitute a useful model for studying memory function and impairment in vertebrates and are now widely used in translational research. On the one hand, the adoption of simple, fast and reliable tests such as novel object recognition...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Gatto, E., Bruzzone, M., Dal Maschio, M. et al. 2022. Effects of environmental enrichment on recognition memory in zebrafish larvae. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 247, 105552.

Relationships between owner and household characteristics and enrichment and cat behaviour

Owners may enhance their cats' welfare by social enrichment (e.g. positive human-animal interactions), and physical enrichment (e.g. play objects). The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between owner characteristics (e.g. attitudes, attachment), household characteristics (the keeping of one...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Windschnurer, I., Häusler, A., Waiblinger, S. et al. 2022. Relationships between owner and household characteristics and enrichment and cat behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 247, 105562.

Development of a composite pain scale in foals: A pilot study

Prompt pain management is crucial in horses; however, tools to assess pain are limited. This study aimed to develop and pilot a composite scale for pain estimation in foals. The “Foal Composite Pain Scale” (FCPS) was developed based on literature...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Lanci, A., Benedetti, B., Freccero, F. et al. 2022. Development of a composite pain scale in foals: A pilot study. Animals 12(4), 439.

Thinking outside the lab: Can studies of pet rats inform pet and laboratory rat welfare?

Surveys provide a low-cost means to obtain large amounts of data that are ideal for conducting exploratory research, and they are becoming an increasingly valuable tool in a veterinary context. We investigated whether surveys of pet rat owners might provide...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Handling, Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Neville, V., Mounty, J., Benato, L., Hunter, K. et al. 2022. Thinking outside the lab: Can studies of pet rats inform pet and laboratory rat welfare? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 246, 105507.

Training as enrichment: A critical review

Husbandry training and environmental enrichment are both important advancements associated with current behavioural welfare practices. Additionally, the use of training procedures has been proposed as a form of enrichment, with the implication that training can produce beneficial behavioural welfare results....

Year Published: 2022Topics: Animal Training, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Fernandez, E. J. 2022. Training as enrichment: A critical review. Animal Welfare 31(1), 1-12.

The effect of blindfolding and swaddling on the stress response to handling in domestic rabbits

Stress during handling can negatively impact the welfare of an animal. Gradual habituation or systematic desensitisation can reduce this but is not always possible. Blindfolding has been shown to decrease stress indicators, including heart rate and struggling in cattle (Bos...

Year Published: 2022Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: McIndoe, K. S., Saunders, R., Blackwell, E. J. et al. 2022. The effect of blindfolding and swaddling on the stress response to handling in domestic rabbits. Animal Welfare 31(1), 27-36.

How housing conditions determine the welfare of pigs

Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren,...

Year Published: 2021Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ludwiczak, A., Skrzypczak, E., Składanowska-Baryza, J. et al. 2021. How housing conditions determine the welfare of pigs. Animals 11(12), 3484.

The utility of scatter feeding as enrichment: Do broiler chickens engage with scatter–fed items?

In recent years, welfare certification companies have encouraged the use of scatter feeding as enrichment material, though there is little scientific evidence to support a scatter feeding program. This study aimed to understand the impact of scatter feeding on the...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Wood, B., Rufener, C., Makagon, M. M. et al. 2021. The utility of scatter feeding as enrichment: Do broiler chickens engage with scatter–fed items? Animals 11(12), 3478.

Welfare of farmed crocodilians: Identification of potential animal-based measures using elicitation of expert opinion

Animal-based measures are the measure of choice in animal welfare assessment protocols as they can often be applied completely independently to the housing or production system employed. Although there has been a small body of work on potential animal-based measures...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & Management, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Crocodile & Alligator, Reptile

Citation: Hewitt, L., Small, A. 2021. Welfare of farmed crocodilians: Identification of potential animal-based measures using elicitation of expert opinion. Animals 11(12), 3450.