WBI Studies Repository (WellBeing International)
Not a member yet
6323 research outputs found
Sort by
My Octopus Teacher wins at BAFTA and Oscars
No full textThe South African documentary, My Octopus Teacher, took home an Oscar and BAFTA for Best Documentary. It is the rare film that allowed the audience to grasp the life and presence of another being’s awareness and place in the world around us
Are Pets as Good for Us as We Think They Are? What does the science really say about the impact of pets on human health?
Get PDFThe “pet effect” is the idea that having a companion animal will improve one’s physical and mental health. However, numerous studies have not found this effect to be a real phenomenon with a recent study from Tufts University being the most recent. The reasons for the mismatch between what people believe about the health benefits of pets and the negative results from research projects are unclear
RSPCA Australia National Statistics 2020-2021
Get PDFThe RSPCA receives thousands of animals every year in every state and territory in Australia. Annual statistics on the numbers of animals received, reclaimed or rehomed are compiled on a national basis by RSPCA Australia. The following statistics cover the 2020 to 2021 financial year and give details on the receipt and placement of animals by each state and territory RSPCA during that period. The statistics also include the number of cruelty complaints received by the RSPCA Inspectorate and prosecutions undertaken. Detailed information is provided in the following report
Children Witnessing Violence Against Animals
Get PDFAt the 87th Session of the UN Committee of the Rights of the Child held at the end of May 2021, Tunisia’s programs to address child protection were examined. The printed report of the session, issued on June 7, 2021, was fifty-five paragraphs long and addressed a wide range of issues affecting child welfare including the involvement of children in armed conflict, the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Amid these topics, paragraph 16(c) recommended that Tunisia “Evaluate and eliminate, on the basis of the procedure and criteria described above, practices, policies and services that may not be in the best interests of the child, including societal violence against animals (emphasis added).
Counting Birds and Other Wild Animals
Get PDFEstimating the total number of wild animals in a particular location or country has always been challenging. Still, better data on wild animal numbers are needed to recognize changes, identify the causes, and what might be done to address such changes
The Comfort Dog Project of Northern Uganda: An Innovative Canine-Assisted Psychosocial Trauma Recovery Programme
Get PDFn 2012, BIG FIX Uganda, an American-based animal welfare organisation, began offering veterinary health services and animal welfare education in northern Uganda to improve the wellbeing of animals and their guardians. In 2014, the organisation expanded its inclusive health platform with the creation of the Comfort Dog Project − an animal-assisted psychosocial intervention for survivors of war trauma through the facilitation of human-dog companionship. This article focuses on how blending community trauma counselling with dog training and bonding instruction can improve the social and emotional skills of dog guardians while creating loving, stress- buffering relationships with their dogs. Fifty-nine guardians and their comfort dogs graduated this 20-week animal assisted trauma intervention between 2015 and 2020. Psychological assessments taken pre- and post-graduation, as well as annual follow-up testing over a 4-year-period, indicate that this therapeutic model can be effective at reducing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and improving the wellbeing of both the guardians and their comfort dogs
Crow Whisperer
No full textA recent story of a “crow whisperer” in Oakland, California, resolving a seemingly intractable situation for a local family and its dog highlights crows’ recognition of specific human individuals
Going Vegan Or Vegetarian: Motivations & Influences
Get PDFAfter studying hundreds of U.S. and Canadian consumers during their transition to vegetarianism or veganism (collectively referred to as veg*nism), a new report from research organization Faunalytics found that 42% of people’s veg*n journeys were motivated by health, 20% by animal protection, and 18% by environmental concern. For animal advocates interested in helping new vegans and vegetarians maintain their change of lifestyle, study results suggest a focus on self-driven motivations (like personal values or moral identity) and experiences with animal advocacy
The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. (Abridged version)
Get PDFThe report presents a comprehensive economic review of biodiversity and calls for an urgent and transformative change in how we think about and act towards the natural world and its economic value. The framework presented by the review is grounded in a a deep understanding of ecosystem processes and how they are affected by human economic activity. The report argues that nature is our most precious asset but that rapid declines in biodiversity are undermining the resiliency and adaptability of nature. This, in turn, places human economies, livelihoods and well-being at risk
Companion Animal Demographics: When Are They Good Enough?
Get PDFThe best current estimate of the USA dog and cat population is 135 million from a survey conducted every five years. Another survey produces a very different result (180 million) but there is minimal discussion as to why different surveys produce different results. The media and stake-holders simply report whatever number is most convenient. Key stakeholders should pay more attention to the available data and address gaps and variances to determine actual trends