Human-Animal Interaction

Straight from the horse’s mouth: Changes in salivary oxytocin, cortisol and behaviour in horses interacting with unfamiliar humans

Human-horse interactions can have positive outcomes for humans, but not much is known about their effects on horses. As horses are increasingly used for equine-assisted interactions and many horses interact with unfamiliar humans on a daily basis, there is a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Kapteijn, C. M., Vinke, C. M., van Lith, H. et al. 2025. Straight from the horse’s mouth: Changes in salivary oxytocin, cortisol and behaviour in horses interacting with unfamiliar humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106826.

Putting the evidence into evidence-based husbandry: A scoping review of empirical approaches to improving captive reptile welfare

Non-avian reptiles are commonly kept in captivity, including zoos, aquariums, farms, laboratories, classrooms, rehabilitation centres, and homes. With this wide range of captive conditions and potential diversity of species housed, it is crucial to ensure that these animals are housed...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Crocodile & Alligator, Lizard, Reptile, Snake, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Hanson, S. L., Whittaker, A. L., Cooper-Rogers, B. et al. 2025. Putting the evidence into evidence-based husbandry: A scoping review of empirical approaches to improving captive reptile welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106831.

The ability to interpret affective states in horses’ body language is associated with experience with animals

In light of an increasing interest in the human ability to read equine emotions, Braun et al. (2024) recently showed that horse-experienced individuals performed better in interpreting affective states in horses’ body language than horse-inexperienced individuals. Further, individuals with a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal Interaction, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Braun, M. N., Bülow, S., Müller-Klein, A. et al. 2025. The ability to interpret affective states in horses’ body language is associated with experience with animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 290, 106716.

Tactile stimulation by humans: Do pigs prefer scratching or stroking?

Scratching and stroking are tactile interactions used to improve the animal-human relationship and reduce stress in pigs. Both interactions resemble behaviours from the behavioural repertoire of pigs and have been applied in previous studies. To investigate the relative efficacy of...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Amann, M., Waiblinger, S., Hemsworth, P. H. et al. 2025. Tactile stimulation by humans: Do pigs prefer scratching or stroking? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106768.

Horse vision through two lenses: Tinbergen’s Four Questions and the Five Domains

To improve human–horse interactions and reduce the risk of injury, it is essential to adopt an equi-centric perspective that prioritizes how horses perceive their environment. This review focuses on the equine visual system, both because it is the most studied...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Roth, L. S. V., McGreevy, P. 2025. Horse vision through two lenses: Tinbergen’s Four Questions and the Five Domains. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Exploring the impact of a brief positive experience on dogs’ performance and stress resilience during a learning task

Learning and stress resilience can be influenced by recent experiences. Research has traditionally focused on the effects of negative situations and stressors on subsequent learning and stress resilience, while knowledge is limited regarding the effects of positive experiences. We aimed...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Behavioral & Cognitive Testing, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Miller, J., Cavalli, C., Azadian, A. et al. 2025. Exploring the impact of a brief positive experience on dogs’ performance and stress resilience during a learning task. PLOS ONE 20(6), e0326368.

3Rs champions team: Empowering animal technicians

To leverage the expertise of Animal Technicians (AT) and other Biological Services staff, the University of Dundee has established a 3Rs Champion team that aims to implement and promote the 3Rs within the university’s animal facilities. Achievements are described.

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal Interaction, Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Dennison, N., Booth, K., Traill, S. et al. 2025, August 3Rs champions team: Empowering animal technicians. Animal Technology and Welfare 24(2), 131–134.

Alternative handling techniques to reduce anxiety in laboratory mice

The most common and widely used method to capture and transfer mice from cage to cage is to pick up and restrain the mouse by its tail. Recent studies at Liverpool University, however, have indicated that handling mice by their...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Thorpe, E. 2020. Alternative handling techniques to reduce anxiety in laboratory mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 19(1), 76–78.

From Fish to Mice to Monkeys in Research: Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Well-being

This chapter focuses mainly on animals in medical research. Many, especially the smaller species such as rat, mice, and zebrafish, may be seen only a few minutes a day by their human caregivers. Most laboratory animals are kept in confinement...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Regulations & Ethical Review, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: All/General, Fish, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Rat, Rodent, Zebrafish

Citation: Serageldine, C. E., Robinson-Junker, A., Alvino, G. et al. 2025. From Fish to Mice to Monkeys in Research: Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Well-being. In Mental Health and Well-being in Animals (pp. 308–322).

Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals

This 30-chapter volume informs students and professionals about the behavioral biology of animals commonly housed in laboratory and other captive settings. Each species evolved under specific environmental conditions, resulting in unique behavioral patterns, many of which are maintained in captivity...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Salamander, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Coleman, K., Schapiro, S. J. (Eds.) 2022. Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals (1st Ed.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 560 p.