Social Housing & Companionship

Associations and the role of affiliative, agonistic, and socio-sexual behaviors among common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Little is known about the specific behavioral exchanges that occur on a day-to-day basis between dyads of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). This study assesses the proportion of time dyads spend in proximity (within ∼2 m) and the proportion of...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Harvey, B. S., Dudzinski, K. M., Kuczaj, S. A. 2017. Associations and the role of affiliative, agonistic, and socio-sexual behaviors among common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Behavioural Processes 135, 145-156.

You know what? I’m happy

Recent studies suggest that cognitive bias could constitute a novel and valid measure of animal welfare. Although interest for a link between personality and cognition is growing, no study to date investigated whether a cognitive bias might be related to...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Lalot, M., Ung, D., Péron, F. et al. 2017. You know what? I'm happy. Cognitive bias is not related to personality but is induced by pair-housing in canaries (Serinus canaria). Behavioural Processes 134, 70-77.

Individual consistency and context dependence in group-size preference of Eurasian perch

Many fish spend a large part of their life in groups. The size of the group influences potential costs and benefits of group living, and depending on context a fish may prefer different group sizes. Group-size preference may also depend...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Hellström, G., Heynen, M., Borcherding, J. et al. 2016. Individual consistency and context dependence in group-size preference of Eurasian perch. Behavioural Processes 133, 6-11.

Effects of mate separation in female and social isolation in male free-living Greylag geese on behavioural and physiological measures

The presence of a social partner may significantly contribute to coping with stressful events, whereas dyadic separation generally increases glucocorticoid levels and, thereby, might also affect immune function and health. To study the covariation between social factors, immuno-reactive corticosterone metabolites,...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Ludwig, S. C., Kapetanopoulos, K., Kotrschal, K. et al. 2017. Effects of mate separation in female and social isolation in male free-living Greylag geese on behavioural and physiological measures. Behavioural Processes 138, 134-141.

Comparison of housing and welfare of group housed rabbits

This poster is based on welfare improvements gained from group housing rabbits in floor pens in the new Antibody Production Facility with a focus on development, behaviours and environmental enrichment in both male and female animals. We established floor pens...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Enser, S. 2016. Comparison of housing and welfare of group housed rabbits. Animal Technology and Welfare 15(1), 77-79.

Social and environmental enrichment has different effects on ethanol and sucrose consumption in mice

Factors leading to the harmful consumption of substances, like alcohol and sucrose, involve a complex interaction of genes and the environment. While we cannot control the genes we inherit, we can modify our environment. Understanding the role that social and...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Holgate, J. Y., Garcia, H., Chatterjee, S. et al. 2017. Social and environmental enrichment has different effects on ethanol and sucrose consumption in mice. Brain and Behavior 7(8), e00767.

Creatively meeting the standards – taking rabbit housing to the next level

The 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals clarified its language regarding housing social species, specifying that, “Single housing of social species should be the exception…”. This is a challenge for many institutions in...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Marshall, K., Wolford, H., Martin, L. 2017. Creatively meeting the standards – taking rabbit housing to the next level. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(3), 226-228.

Advances in animal welfare and scientific outcomes of the bile duct cannulated rat model utilised in ADME studies

Since rats lack a gall bladder, they are an ideal model for investigating continuous biliary excretion and biotransformation. The design and implementation of a modified tail cuff and cannula system introduced at Covance permits the animal's own bile to be...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Cannulation, Catheterization, & Intubation, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: van Wijk, H., Crossman, L., Adjin-Tettey, G. et al. 2018. Advances in animal welfare and scientific outcomes of the bile duct cannulated rat model utilised in ADME studies. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(1), 64-67.

Refinements in housing during data capture in long term Safety Pharmacology dogs

Dogs are individually housed when collecting data for ECG studies to avoid any cross talk between transmitted signals (generally for a 24 hour recording period). Each implant is set at a certain frequency which transmits via radio frequency. Implants with...

Year Published: 2017Topics: External Bodily Equipment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Bailey, C. 2017. Refinements in housing during data capture in long term Safety Pharmacology dogs. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(2), 147-149.

Report of the 2017 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent (and now Rabbit) Welfare Group held a one-day meeting on 14 November 2017 in Weybridge, UK. The first session addressed meeting animals' needs and aiming for a 'good life', with the needs of female breeding rabbits as...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., McBride, A., Paiba, G. et al. 2018. Report of the 2017 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(2), 75-83. [Meeting Report]