Human-Animal Interaction

Gentle stroking stimuli induce affiliative responsiveness to humans in male rats

Gentle tactile stimuli have been shown to play an important role in the establishment and maintenance of affiliative social interactions. Oxytocin has also been shown to have similar actions. We investigated the effects of gentle stroking on affiliative relationships between...

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

Citation: Okabe, S., Takayanagi, Y., Yoshida, M. et al. 2020. Gentle stroking stimuli induce affiliative responsiveness to humans in male rats. Scientific Reports 10, 9135.

Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs

Family dogs (Canis familiaris) seek human contact from an early age, can discriminate and prefer their caregivers over other humans. To investigate if being kept as a family animal is sufficient to induce similar early human proximity-seeking in another domestic...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog, Pig

Citation: Pérez Fraga, P., Gerencsér, L., Andics, A. 2020. Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs. Scientific Reports 10(1), 20883.

Impact of euthanasia on compassion fatigue in personnel working in animal research

We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between euthanasia and compassion fatigue among employees working in animal research at a large academic medical center. In summary, animal research workers who euthanize animals reported significantly more burnout and traumatic...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Euthanasia, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Gades, N. M., Thompson, K. L., Mi, L. et al. 2020. Impact of euthanasia on compassion fatigue in personnel working in animal research. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(1) (January/February), 22-23.

It’s Okay to Cry – Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum [LAREF], Volume V

This is the 5th volume of selected discussions that took place on the electronic Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum between February 2016 and December 2019. The forum was created in October 2002; it allows the international animal care community...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Drug/Substance Administration, Environmental Enrichment, External Bodily Equipment, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Cat, Chinchilla, Dog, Ferret, Guinea Pig, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Reinhardt, V. (ed.) 2020. It’s Okay to Cry - Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum [LAREF], Volume V. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Long-term socialization with humans affects human-directed behavior in goats

Throughout their evolutionary history, humans have tried to domesticate a variety of wild terrestrial mammals, resulting in a limited number that has been successfully domesticated. Among these domesticated species, domestic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) are a useful model species to...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Goat

Citation: Mastellone, V., Scandurra, A., D’Aniello, B. et al. 2020. Long-term socialization with humans affects human-directed behavior in goats. Animals 10(4), 578.

Manipulable object and human contact: Preference and modulation of emotional states in weaned pigs

Enriching the life of farm animals is a legal obligation in intensive farming conditions in the European Union, though not worldwide. In pigs, manipulable materials are mandatory when no bedding is available. Like manipulable objects, positive human interactions might also...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Villain, A. S., Lanthony, M., Guérin, C. et al. 2020. Manipulable object and human contact: Preference and modulation of emotional states in weaned pigs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 577433.

Piggy see, piggy do: A swine training program enhances animal welfare and research

Becton Dickinson (BD) Animal Research Program developed an extensive training and environmental enrichment program to acclimate newly arrived swine to daily husbandry routines. The program seeks to build trust between swine and animal care and research staff from human-animal interactions....

Year Published: 2020Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: de la Garza, F., Cannon, C. Z. 2020. Piggy see, piggy do: A swine training program enhances animal welfare and research. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(2) (March/April), 54-57.

Psychological stress, its reduction, and long-term consequences: What studies with laboratory animals might teach us about life in the dog shelter

There is a long history of laboratory studies of the physiological and behavioral effects of stress, its reduction, and the later psychological and behavioral consequences of unmitigated stress responses. Many of the stressors employed in these studies approximate the experience...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Hennessy, M. B., Willen, R. M., Schiml, P. A. 2020. Psychological stress, its reduction, and long-term consequences: What studies with laboratory animals might teach us about life in the dog shelter. Animals 10(11), 2061.

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.