Companion animals (or pets) form a distinctive category of domestic animals defined by their prim... more Companion animals (or pets) form a distinctive category of domestic animals defined by their primary use as nonhuman social support providers. Companion animals have an ancient history that may precede and anticipate the original domestication of animals. Currently, more than 60% of European and American households keep pets, and their numbers are increasing rapidly in several emerging economies. The results of research over the past four decades suggest that relationships with companion animals may be beneficial to human health and well-being, though the extent of the benefits will likely depend on relationship quality. Exposure to positive relationships with pets in childhood may also predispose people to develop more empathic responses to animals later in life. In spite of these benefits, pet ownership also imposes costs, particularly in terms of environmental damage, risk to public health and threat to animal welfare. The future of these exceptional human–animal relationships will depend on striking a positive balance between the benefits and the costs.
Variation across dog breeds presents a unique opportunity to investigate the evolution and biolog... more Variation across dog breeds presents a unique opportunity to investigate the evolution and biological basis of complex behavioural traits. We integrated behavioural data from more than 14 000 dogs from 101 breeds with breed-averaged genotypic data (<i>N</i> = 5697 dogs) from over 100 000 loci in the dog genome. We found high levels of among-breed heritability for 14 behavioural traits (the proportion of trait variance attributable to genetic similarity among breeds). We next identified 131 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with breed differences in behaviour, which were found in genes that are highly expressed in the brain and enriched for neurobiological functions and developmental processes, suggesting that they may be functionally associated with behavioural differences. Our results shed light on the heritability and genetic architecture of complex behavioural traits and identify dogs as a powerful model in which to address these questions.
Undesirable behavior is a leading cause of canine relinquishment. Relinquishing owners could prov... more Undesirable behavior is a leading cause of canine relinquishment. Relinquishing owners could provide valuable information about their dog's behavior, although the reliability of their reports has been questioned by the sheltering community. This study aimed to investigate (a) whether relinquishing owners' reports of dog behavior differed based on the behavioral screening method; (b) whether relinquishing owners' reports were impacted by the confidentiality of their responses; and (c) whether relinquishing and non-relinquishing owners perceived the behavior of their dogs differently. The sample included 427 relinquished dogs from three animal shelters and 427 pet dogs, matched for sex and breed. Owners responded to a direct question about whether they were experiencing problems with their dog's behavior and completed the mini C-BARQ which includes 42 questions about the frequency and severity of specific canine behaviors in various circumstances. More than two-thirds (69.3%) of relinquishing owners indicated they were not experiencing problems with their dog's behavior when asked directly, compared with only 34.5% of pet owners. Yet, relinquished dogs had significantly higher (less desirable) scores than pet dogs across most C-BARQ scales. The disparity between C-BARQ scores and the single, direct question does not appear to be the result of deliberately biased reporting by relinquishing owners as the perceived confidentiality (or lack thereof) did not affect their responses (X 2 = 1.44, p = 0.97). It is possible that relinquishing owners had less understanding of dog behavior and did not recognize behavior problems as a problem. Our findings support the use of standardized behavioral questionnaires, such as the mini C-BARQ, to collect behavioral information from owners at the time of relinquishment and highlight opportunities for animal shelters to reduce relinquishment by assisting owners to recognize and manage behavioral problems.
rounding up sheep to assisting the visually impaired, which are of great importance to special ec... more rounding up sheep to assisting the visually impaired, which are of great importance to special economic interests or narrow segments of the population. Specially bred and trained working dogs are critical front-line assets in military and law enforcement functions such as suspect apprehension, explosives detection, and narcotics interdiction, so dogs have a particularly pervasive influence on life in the developed world, especially in this dangerous age of terroristic threat and globe-spanning, low-intensity warfare. Working police and military dogs are employed in large numbers throughout the nations of Western Europe and North America, and they are increasingly being adopted by governmental agencies in much of the rest of the world, including Asia, Australasia, South America, and Africa. As in the case of humans, it is becoming clear that some individuals are better suited to some tasks than are others (
Abstract Hoarding occurs when persons accumulate animals in numbers that exceed their capacity to... more Abstract Hoarding occurs when persons accumulate animals in numbers that exceed their capacity to provide for the needs of the animals. Typical animal hoarding environments are extremely unsanitary and unhealthy, with malnutrition, disease, and death all common elements. Anecdotal reports of dogs recovered from hoarding situations have described a wide array of abnormal behaviours. The purpose of this study was to characterize the differences between dogs recovered from hoarding situations and typical pet dogs. Dogs were recruited in this case-control study through American organizations that rehome animals recovered from hoarding situations. Behavioural evaluations of the dogs were obtained from current owners/fosterers using the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), which utilizes ordinal scales to rate either the intensity or frequency of the dog’s behaviours. A total of 408 formerly hoarded dogs were included in the study. Among the hoarded dogs, the male-to-female ratio was 0.82:1, and the dogs had been living in their adoptive homes for an average of 2.2 years (SD = 1.4 years) when the C-BARQ was completed. Twenty-eight behavioural outcomes were compared between formerly hoarded dogs and dogs representing a convenience sample of pets (restricted on the same breeds, age range, and rehoming status as hoarded dogs) to act as controls (n = 11,277). In comparison to the control dogs, formerly hoarded dogs were reported as displaying significantly higher scores related to fear (stranger-directed, dog-directed, and non-social; p
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, May 1, 2020
The benefits of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), to utilize companion animals as an adjunctiv... more The benefits of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), to utilize companion animals as an adjunctive treatment modality, is well-established and a burgeoning research field. However, few studies have evaluated the potential hazards of these programs, such as the potential for therapy animals to transfer hospital-associated pathogens between individuals and the hospital environment. Here we review the current literature on the possible risks of hospital-based AAI programs, including zoonotic pathogen transmission. We identified twenty-nine articles encompassing reviews of infection control guidelines and epidemiological studies on zoonotic pathogen prevalence in AAI. We observed substantial heterogeneity in infection control practices among hospital AAI programs. Few data confirmed pathogen transmission between therapy animals and patients. Given AAI’s known benefits, we recommend that future research utilize a One Health framework to evaluate microbial dynamics among therapy animals, patients, and hospital environments. This framework may best promote safe practices to ensure the sustainability of these valuable AAI programs.
Ethos. Kwartalnik Instytutu Jana Pawła II KUL, 2013
* Niniejszy artykuł, pod tytułem Anthropomorphism and Anthropomorphic Selection-Beyond the "Cute ... more * Niniejszy artykuł, pod tytułem Anthropomorphism and Anthropomorphic Selection-Beyond the "Cute Response", ukazał się w czasopiśmie "Society and Animals" 11(2003) nr 1, s. 83-100, wydawanym przez wydawnictwo naukowe Brill. 1 W literaturze funkcjonuje wiele konkurujących ze sobą defi nicji antropomorfi zmu, począwszy od przypisywania istotom niebędącym ludźmi w s z e l k i c h stanów umysłowych (zob. J.S. K e nn e d y, The New Anthropomorphism, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1992), do przypisywania im cech charakterystycznych wyłącznie dla człowieka (zob. B. N o s k e, Humans and Other Animals: Beyond the Boundaries of Anthropology,
Companion animals (or pets) form a distinctive category of domestic animals defined by their prim... more Companion animals (or pets) form a distinctive category of domestic animals defined by their primary use as nonhuman social support providers. Companion animals have an ancient history that may precede and anticipate the original domestication of animals. Currently, more than 60% of European and American households keep pets, and their numbers are increasing rapidly in several emerging economies. The results of research over the past four decades suggest that relationships with companion animals may be beneficial to human health and well-being, though the extent of the benefits will likely depend on relationship quality. Exposure to positive relationships with pets in childhood may also predispose people to develop more empathic responses to animals later in life. In spite of these benefits, pet ownership also imposes costs, particularly in terms of environmental damage, risk to public health and threat to animal welfare. The future of these exceptional human–animal relationships will depend on striking a positive balance between the benefits and the costs.
Variation across dog breeds presents a unique opportunity to investigate the evolution and biolog... more Variation across dog breeds presents a unique opportunity to investigate the evolution and biological basis of complex behavioural traits. We integrated behavioural data from more than 14 000 dogs from 101 breeds with breed-averaged genotypic data (<i>N</i> = 5697 dogs) from over 100 000 loci in the dog genome. We found high levels of among-breed heritability for 14 behavioural traits (the proportion of trait variance attributable to genetic similarity among breeds). We next identified 131 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with breed differences in behaviour, which were found in genes that are highly expressed in the brain and enriched for neurobiological functions and developmental processes, suggesting that they may be functionally associated with behavioural differences. Our results shed light on the heritability and genetic architecture of complex behavioural traits and identify dogs as a powerful model in which to address these questions.
Undesirable behavior is a leading cause of canine relinquishment. Relinquishing owners could prov... more Undesirable behavior is a leading cause of canine relinquishment. Relinquishing owners could provide valuable information about their dog's behavior, although the reliability of their reports has been questioned by the sheltering community. This study aimed to investigate (a) whether relinquishing owners' reports of dog behavior differed based on the behavioral screening method; (b) whether relinquishing owners' reports were impacted by the confidentiality of their responses; and (c) whether relinquishing and non-relinquishing owners perceived the behavior of their dogs differently. The sample included 427 relinquished dogs from three animal shelters and 427 pet dogs, matched for sex and breed. Owners responded to a direct question about whether they were experiencing problems with their dog's behavior and completed the mini C-BARQ which includes 42 questions about the frequency and severity of specific canine behaviors in various circumstances. More than two-thirds (69.3%) of relinquishing owners indicated they were not experiencing problems with their dog's behavior when asked directly, compared with only 34.5% of pet owners. Yet, relinquished dogs had significantly higher (less desirable) scores than pet dogs across most C-BARQ scales. The disparity between C-BARQ scores and the single, direct question does not appear to be the result of deliberately biased reporting by relinquishing owners as the perceived confidentiality (or lack thereof) did not affect their responses (X 2 = 1.44, p = 0.97). It is possible that relinquishing owners had less understanding of dog behavior and did not recognize behavior problems as a problem. Our findings support the use of standardized behavioral questionnaires, such as the mini C-BARQ, to collect behavioral information from owners at the time of relinquishment and highlight opportunities for animal shelters to reduce relinquishment by assisting owners to recognize and manage behavioral problems.
rounding up sheep to assisting the visually impaired, which are of great importance to special ec... more rounding up sheep to assisting the visually impaired, which are of great importance to special economic interests or narrow segments of the population. Specially bred and trained working dogs are critical front-line assets in military and law enforcement functions such as suspect apprehension, explosives detection, and narcotics interdiction, so dogs have a particularly pervasive influence on life in the developed world, especially in this dangerous age of terroristic threat and globe-spanning, low-intensity warfare. Working police and military dogs are employed in large numbers throughout the nations of Western Europe and North America, and they are increasingly being adopted by governmental agencies in much of the rest of the world, including Asia, Australasia, South America, and Africa. As in the case of humans, it is becoming clear that some individuals are better suited to some tasks than are others (
Abstract Hoarding occurs when persons accumulate animals in numbers that exceed their capacity to... more Abstract Hoarding occurs when persons accumulate animals in numbers that exceed their capacity to provide for the needs of the animals. Typical animal hoarding environments are extremely unsanitary and unhealthy, with malnutrition, disease, and death all common elements. Anecdotal reports of dogs recovered from hoarding situations have described a wide array of abnormal behaviours. The purpose of this study was to characterize the differences between dogs recovered from hoarding situations and typical pet dogs. Dogs were recruited in this case-control study through American organizations that rehome animals recovered from hoarding situations. Behavioural evaluations of the dogs were obtained from current owners/fosterers using the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), which utilizes ordinal scales to rate either the intensity or frequency of the dog’s behaviours. A total of 408 formerly hoarded dogs were included in the study. Among the hoarded dogs, the male-to-female ratio was 0.82:1, and the dogs had been living in their adoptive homes for an average of 2.2 years (SD = 1.4 years) when the C-BARQ was completed. Twenty-eight behavioural outcomes were compared between formerly hoarded dogs and dogs representing a convenience sample of pets (restricted on the same breeds, age range, and rehoming status as hoarded dogs) to act as controls (n = 11,277). In comparison to the control dogs, formerly hoarded dogs were reported as displaying significantly higher scores related to fear (stranger-directed, dog-directed, and non-social; p
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, May 1, 2020
The benefits of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), to utilize companion animals as an adjunctiv... more The benefits of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), to utilize companion animals as an adjunctive treatment modality, is well-established and a burgeoning research field. However, few studies have evaluated the potential hazards of these programs, such as the potential for therapy animals to transfer hospital-associated pathogens between individuals and the hospital environment. Here we review the current literature on the possible risks of hospital-based AAI programs, including zoonotic pathogen transmission. We identified twenty-nine articles encompassing reviews of infection control guidelines and epidemiological studies on zoonotic pathogen prevalence in AAI. We observed substantial heterogeneity in infection control practices among hospital AAI programs. Few data confirmed pathogen transmission between therapy animals and patients. Given AAI’s known benefits, we recommend that future research utilize a One Health framework to evaluate microbial dynamics among therapy animals, patients, and hospital environments. This framework may best promote safe practices to ensure the sustainability of these valuable AAI programs.
Ethos. Kwartalnik Instytutu Jana Pawła II KUL, 2013
* Niniejszy artykuł, pod tytułem Anthropomorphism and Anthropomorphic Selection-Beyond the "Cute ... more * Niniejszy artykuł, pod tytułem Anthropomorphism and Anthropomorphic Selection-Beyond the "Cute Response", ukazał się w czasopiśmie "Society and Animals" 11(2003) nr 1, s. 83-100, wydawanym przez wydawnictwo naukowe Brill. 1 W literaturze funkcjonuje wiele konkurujących ze sobą defi nicji antropomorfi zmu, począwszy od przypisywania istotom niebędącym ludźmi w s z e l k i c h stanów umysłowych (zob. J.S. K e nn e d y, The New Anthropomorphism, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1992), do przypisywania im cech charakterystycznych wyłącznie dla człowieka (zob. B. N o s k e, Humans and Other Animals: Beyond the Boundaries of Anthropology,
This book is an interdisciplinary collection shedding light on human-animal relationships and int... more This book is an interdisciplinary collection shedding light on human-animal relationships and interactions around the world. The book offers a predominantly empirical look at social and cultural practices related to companion animals in Mexico, Poland, the Netherlands, Japan, China and Taiwan, Vietnam, USA, and Turkey among others. It focuses on how dogs, cats, rabbits and members of other species are perceived and treated in various cultures, highlighting commonalities and differences between them.
* * * TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Foreword – Robert W. Mitchell Introduction – Michał Piotr Pręgowski
Part I: Conceptualizing our Relationships with Animals 1. Companion Animals and Nuisance Species: Adventures in the Exotic, the Wild, the Illegal and Cross-Cultural Comfort Zones – Sara Waller 2. Anthrozoology in the Netherlands: Connecting Science and Practice – Jannes Eshuis, Marie-José Enders-Slegers, Theo Verheggen 3. Bringing the Beast Back In: The Rehabilitation of Pet Keeping in Soviet Russia – Amy Nelson
Part 2: Taking the Plunge: Adopting a Companion Animal, Traditional and Otherwise 4. Perceptions of Personality: How What We See Influences Our Perceptions about and Behavior toward Companion Animals – Miranda K. Workman 5. “A Cat-sized Hole in my Heart”: Public Perceptions of Companion Animal Adoption in the United States of America – Jennifer Sinski 6. Rabbits Multiplying Like Rabbits: The Rise in the Worldwide Popularity of Rabbits as Pets – Margo DeMello
Part 3: To Eat or to Love? 7. An Appetite for Dogs: Consuming and Loving Them in Vietnam – Anthony L. Podberscek 8. Human-Canine Relationships in China – Scott Hurley 9. Attitudes to Dogs in Taiwan: A Case Study – James Serpell, Yuying Hsu
Part 4: Companion Animals as Political Fallout 10. Semi-Stray Dogs and Graduated Humanness: The Political Encounters of Dogs and Humans in Mexico - Iván Sandoval-Cervantes 11. Polarized Opinions and Shared Goals: Feral Cat Management in an Academic Community in Kentucky – Rosanne Lorden 12. Strong Bonds: Companion Animals in Post-Tsunami Japan – Ross Mouer, Hazuki Kajiwara
Part 5: The Difference Language Makes 13. “I am a dog”: Orhan Pamuk and the Mongrelization of Fiction – Jeanne Dubino 14. Human Names as Companion Animal Names in Poland – Michał Piotr Pręgowski 15. Awareness Can Change a Society: The Link between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence in the Netherlands – Marie-José Enders-Slegers, Theo Verheggen, Jannes Eshuis
Part 6: Companion Animals and Leisure 16. Chats, Cats and a Cup of Tea. A Sociological Analysis of the Neko Café Phenomenon in Japan - Noriko Niijima 17. Canine Disc: America’s Best Export Product to Poland – Justyna Włodarczyk
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* * *
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Foreword – Robert W. Mitchell
Introduction – Michał Piotr Pręgowski
Part I: Conceptualizing our Relationships with Animals
1. Companion Animals and Nuisance Species: Adventures in the Exotic, the Wild, the Illegal and Cross-Cultural Comfort Zones – Sara Waller
2. Anthrozoology in the Netherlands: Connecting Science and Practice – Jannes Eshuis, Marie-José Enders-Slegers, Theo Verheggen
3. Bringing the Beast Back In: The Rehabilitation of Pet Keeping in Soviet Russia – Amy Nelson
Part 2: Taking the Plunge: Adopting a Companion Animal, Traditional and Otherwise
4. Perceptions of Personality: How What We See Influences Our Perceptions about and Behavior toward Companion Animals – Miranda K. Workman
5. “A Cat-sized Hole in my Heart”: Public Perceptions of Companion Animal Adoption in the United States of America – Jennifer Sinski
6. Rabbits Multiplying Like Rabbits: The Rise in the Worldwide Popularity of Rabbits as Pets – Margo DeMello
Part 3: To Eat or to Love?
7. An Appetite for Dogs: Consuming and Loving Them in Vietnam – Anthony L. Podberscek
8. Human-Canine Relationships in China – Scott Hurley
9. Attitudes to Dogs in Taiwan: A Case Study – James Serpell, Yuying Hsu
Part 4: Companion Animals as Political Fallout
10. Semi-Stray Dogs and Graduated Humanness: The Political Encounters of Dogs and Humans in Mexico - Iván Sandoval-Cervantes
11. Polarized Opinions and Shared Goals: Feral Cat Management in an Academic Community in Kentucky – Rosanne Lorden
12. Strong Bonds: Companion Animals in Post-Tsunami Japan – Ross Mouer, Hazuki Kajiwara
Part 5: The Difference Language Makes
13. “I am a dog”: Orhan Pamuk and the Mongrelization of Fiction – Jeanne Dubino
14. Human Names as Companion Animal Names in Poland – Michał Piotr Pręgowski
15. Awareness Can Change a Society: The Link between Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence in the Netherlands – Marie-José Enders-Slegers, Theo Verheggen, Jannes Eshuis
Part 6: Companion Animals and Leisure
16. Chats, Cats and a Cup of Tea. A Sociological Analysis of the Neko Café Phenomenon in Japan - Noriko Niijima
17. Canine Disc: America’s Best Export Product to Poland – Justyna Włodarczyk