Human-Animal Interaction

Human interaction and cortisol: can human contact reduce stress for shelter dogs?

Animal shelters are an extremely stressful environment for a dog, most specifically due to social isolation and novel surroundings. The stress response of dogs housed in this environment may be alleviated through human interaction shortly after arrival. During their second...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Coppola, C. L., Grandin, T., Enns, R. M. 2006. Human interaction and cortisol: can human contact reduce stress for shelter dogs? Physiology and Behavior 87, 537-541.

Human-animal relationship in the research lab: a discussion by the Refinement and Enrichment Forum

The question was asked: "Does the regular, affectionate interaction with adult animals help the subject overcome the fear of humans, and hence buffer the stress response to being handled during experimental procedures?" I think an affectionate human-animal relationship makes a...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Abney, D., Conlee, K., Cunneen, M. et al. 2006. Human-animal relationship in the research lab: a discussion by the Refinement and Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(2), 95-98.

Emotionality – is it unprofessional to cry? In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum

It is not unprofessional to cry when you face situations in which animals have to endure unnecessary discomfort, pain or distress while you are helpless to interfere on their behalf. The expression of sadness in such situations is a reflection...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Emotionality - is it unprofessional to cry? In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 19-22. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Human-animal relationship: Affection for animals; giving animal names; touching animals; alleviating fear of humans

Relationships that develop between facility personnel and laboratory animals may result in an overall reduction in stress for the animals, and they may serve to buffer the potential stress of certain experimental situations. Administrators of animal research, testing, and teaching...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Human-animal relationship: Affection for animals; giving animal names; touching animals; alleviating fear of humans. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 8-19. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Chapter 2.1. How to refer to an animal?

As caregivers, we do not use the pronoun it when referring to an animal. An animal is not an object! We do not think that calling an animal he or she encourages anthropomorphism, but that it does acknowledge the fact...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Chapter 2.1. How to refer to an animal ? Using the proper pronoun. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 3-4. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Chapter 2.3.2. Giving Animals Names

Naming the animals helps me realize that I am working with sentient beings who deserve my consideration of their well-being. I guess, we can all relate much better to names than to numbers, and we tend to treat named versus...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Chapter 2.3.2. Giving Animals Names. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 12-13. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Chapter 2.3.1. Affection for Animals

Animal care personnel and researchers should be encouraged to develop affectionate relationships with their animals. Having such a relationship assures that you regard the animals as living beings, rather than biological test tubes. As such, you will be more careful...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Chapter 2.3.1. Affection for Animals. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 8-11. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Chapter 7.5. Catching animals who have escaped

Monkeys presumably escape not because they really want to leave their familiar home environment, but because something alarms them, such as an investigator trying to grab them with heavy leather gloves through the partially opened cage door. If they can...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Handling, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Chapter 7.5. Catching animals who have escaped. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 131-133. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Effects of a gentling programme on the behaviour of laboratory rats towards humans

The present study investigated the effects of a gentling programme on the later behaviour of laboratory rats towards humans. For that purpose, 24 female Wistar rats were purchased from a laboratory animal breeding facility at the age of 21 days...

Year Published: 2008Topics: Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Maurer, B. M., Doring, D., Scheipl, F. et al. 2008. Effects of a gentling programme on the behaviour of laboratory rats towards humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 114, 554-571.

Refining Rabbit Care: A Resource for Those Working With Rabbits in Research

The report sets out how to provide: optimal enclosure characteristicsand size; social housing; solid flooring and substrate; raised areas; refuges; gnawing objects and dietary enrichment; positive interaction with humans; toys and objects to manipulate; for the special needs of breeding...

Year Published: 2008Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Relocation & Transport, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Hawkins, P., Hubrecht, R., Buckwell, A. et al. 2008. Refining Rabbit Care: A Resource for Those Working With Rabbits in Research. UFAW/RSPCA: Southwater, UK, 27 pp.