The effects of increasing visitor and noise levels on birds within a free-flight aviary examined through enclosure use and behavior
Visitors in a zoo environment have the potential to impact the animals that they are viewing in a variety of ways. Recently, there have been suggestions that free-range enclosures, where visitors can walk directly through an animal’s exhibit, may reduce the potential for negative visitor impacts. The aim of this study was to examine associations […]
Statistical aspects of the analysis of group size effects in confined animals☆
In research on groups of animals housed in an enclosed environment, confounding is inevitably introduced when the factors under study include stocking density and group size. This confounding occurs because of the requirement that the space be limited and hence pen size and its associated physical attributes are altered in tandem with the levels of […]
An animal welfare assessment framework for helicopter darting: a case study with a newly developed method for feral horses
Context Helicopter darting (chemical immobilisation) is a very useful technique for large wild herbivores, such as feral horses (Equus caballus). There is currently no reliable framework to report on the animal welfare impacts of helicopter darting methods. Aim The aim of this study was to develop an animal welfare assessment framework for helicopter darting methods, […]
Stress level evaluation in a dog during animal-assisted therapy in pediatric surgery
Animal-assisted interventions are associated with positive effects on human psychological and physiological health. Although quality standards in animal-assisted interventions appear to be high, only few investigations have focused on potential welfare implications in therapy dogs. In the present study, we monitored behavioral measures and heart rate in a therapy dog that participated in animal-assisted therapy […]