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Travain T, Lazebnik T, Zamansky A, Cafazzo S, Valsecchi P, Natoli E. Environmental enrichments and data-driven welfare indicators for sheltered dogs using telemetric physiological measures and signal processing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3346. [PMID: 38336994 PMCID: PMC10858038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53932-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Shelters are stressful environments for domestic dogs which are known to negatively impact their welfare. The introduction of outside stimuli for dogs in this environment can improve their welfare and life conditions. However, our current understanding of the influence of different stimuli on shelter dogs' welfare is limited and the data is still insufficient to draw conclusions. In this study, we collected 28 days (four weeks) of telemetry data from eight male dogs housed in an Italian shelter for a long period of time. During this period, three types of enrichment were introduced into the dogs' pens for one week each: entertaining objects, intraspecific, and interspecific social enrichment, by means of the presence of female conspecifics and the presence of a human. To quantify their impact, we introduce novel metrics as indicators of sheltered dogs' welfare based on telemetry data: the variation of heart rate, muscle activity, and body temperature from an average baseline day, quality of sleep, and the regularity for cyclicity of the aforementioned parameters, based on the day-night cycle. Using these metrics, we show that while all three stimuli statistically improve the dogs' welfare, the variance between individual dogs is large. Moreover, our findings indicate that the presence of female conspecific is the best stimulus among the three explored options which improves both the quality of sleep and the parameters' cyclicity. Our results are consistent with previous research findings while providing novel data-driven welfare indicators that promote objectivity. Thus, this research provides some useful guidelines for managing shelters and improving dogs' welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziano Travain
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Teddy Lazebnik
- Department of Mathematics, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Paola Valsecchi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Eugenia Natoli
- Canile Sovrazonale, ASL Roma 3 (Local Health Unit Rome 3), Rome, Italy
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Candiani D, Drewe J, Forkman B, Herskin MS, Van Soom A, Aboagye G, Ashe S, Mountricha M, Van der Stede Y, Fabris C. Scientific and technical assistance on welfare aspects related to housing and health of cats and dogs in commercial breeding establishments. EFSA J 2023; 21:e08213. [PMID: 37719917 PMCID: PMC10500269 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
This Scientific Report addresses a mandate from the European Commission according to Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 on the welfare of cats and dogs in commercial breeding establishments kept for sport, hunting and companion purposes. The aim was to scrutinise recent recommendations made by the EU Platform on Animal Welfare Voluntary Initiative on measures to assist the preparation of policy options for the legal framework of commercial breeding of cats and dogs. Specifically, the main question addressed was if there is scientific evidence to support the measures for protection of cats and dogs in commercial breeding related to housing, health considerations and painful procedures. Three judgements were carried out based on scientific literature reviews and, where possible a review of national regulations. The first judgement addressed housing and included: type of accommodation, outdoor access, exercise, social behaviour, housing temperature and light requirements. The second judgement addressed health and included: age at first and last breeding, and breeding frequency. Judgement 3 addressed painful procedures (mutilations or convenience surgeries) and included: ear cropping, tail docking and vocal cord resections in dogs and declawing in cats. For each of these judgements, considerations were provided indicating where scientific literature is available to support recommendations on providing or avoiding specific housing, health or painful surgical interventions. Areas where evidence is lacking are indicated.
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Byosiere SE, Feighelstein M, Wilson K, Abrams J, Elad G, Farhat N, van der Linden D, Kaplun D, Sinitca A, Zamansky A. Evaluation of shelter dog activity levels before and during COVID-19 using automated analysis. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022; 250:105614. [PMID: 36540855 PMCID: PMC9754327 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Animal shelters have been found to represent stressful environments for pet dogs, both affecting behavior and influencing welfare. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light new uncertainties in animal sheltering practices which may affect shelter dog behavior in unexpected ways. To evaluate this, we analyzed changes in dog activity levels before COVID-19 and during COVID-19 using an automated video analysis within a large, open-admission animal shelter in New York City, USA. Shelter dog activity was analyzed during two two-week long time periods: (i) just before COVID-19 safety measures were put in place (Feb 26-Mar 17, 2020) and (ii) during the COVID-19 quarantine (July 10-23, 2020). During these two periods, video clips of 15.3 second, on average, were taken of participating kennels every hour from approximately 8 am to 8 pm. Using a two-step filtering approach, a matched sample (based on the number of days of observation) of 34 dogs was defined, consisting of 17 dogs in each group (N1/N2 = 17). An automated video analysis of active/non-active behaviors was conducted and compared to manual coding of activity. The automated analysis validated by comparison to manual coding reaching above 79% accuracy. Significant differences in the patterns of shelter dog activity were observed: less activity was observed in the afternoons before COVID-19 restrictions, while during COVID-19, activity remained at a constant average. Together, these findings suggest that 1) COVID-19 lockdown altered shelter dog in-kennel activity, likely due to changes in the shelter environment and 2) automated analysis can be used as a hands-off tool to monitor activity. While this method of analysis presents immense opportunity for future research, we discuss the limitations of automated analysis and guidelines in the context of shelter dogs that can increase accuracy of detection, as well as reflect on policy changes that might be helpful in mediating canine stress in changing shelter environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelo Feighelstein
- Primrose, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Kristiina Wilson
- Thinking Dog Center, Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, USA
| | - Jennifer Abrams
- Thinking Dog Center, Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, USA
| | | | - Nareed Farhat
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Dirk van der Linden
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Dmitrii Kaplun
- Department of Automation and Control Processes, Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI", St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Sinitca
- Department of Automation and Control Processes, Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI", St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Israel
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van der Laan JE, Vinke CM, van der Borg JAM, Arndt SS. Restless nights? Nocturnal activity as a useful indicator of adaptability of shelter housed dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Greening L, Downing J, Amiouny D, Lekang L, McBride S. The effect of altering routine husbandry factors on sleep duration and memory consolidation in the horse. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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