1,720,979 research outputs found
Adopter-dog interactions at the shelter: Behavioral and contextual predictors of adoption
Full text linkNOTICE: this is the author's final version of a work that was accepted for publication. The definitive version was subsequently published in APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 157, 109-116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.04.00
Providing a choice : individual dogs’ preferences for activity-based environmental enrichment in an animal shelter
No full textActivity-based environmental enrichment is known to benefit the welfare of shelter dogs, yet individual preferences remain understudied. This thesis aims to address the gap in measuring enrichment efficacy, investigate if preference tests can identify individual preferences for activity-based enrichment, and compare these findings to behavioural outcomes. I conducted two experimental procedures to assess shelter dogs’ behaviour: a preference test and a behavioural evaluation. In the preference test, six dogs were asked to repeatedly (3-4 trials/day) enter a T-maze, choosing between an off-leash play yard and an on-leash walking trail for 10 minutes each. Preference was assessed using a binomial distribution test against a 50% baseline (α = .05). To validate preferences and assess the dogs' ability to track contingencies, a control phase was introduced, where the preferred exit led to the kennel and the alternate to the preferred enrichment. In the behavioural evaluation, three dogs underwent two additional sessions in both the yard and the trail. Their exploratory and stress-associated behaviours were recorded 10 minutes before, during, and immediate after each session, and scored in every five-second bin by an independent observer and myself. Due to the small sample size, no statistical analyses were undertaken. My observations focused on changes in stress-associated behaviours and differences in exploratory behaviours, visually represented on graphs. Preference could be determined for four dogs (n = 21 trials): Aerial (P(X≥17) = .004, Sky (P(X≥16) = .013), and Timber (P(X≥14) = .015) preferred the yard, while Beau (P(X≥16) = .013) preferred the trail, each averaging 10 trials. Allara (P(X≥13) = .190) and Gina (P(X≥13) = .190) showed no distinct preference. In the control phase, Allara’s preference for the kennel suggested potential influences such as weather, past history, or difficulty in choice discrimination. Conversely, Gina’s choices for the trail demonstrated her ability to track contingencies. Results from the behavioural evaluation revealed increased exploratory behaviours during preferred enrichment but varied changes in stress-associated behaviours post-enrichment. While dogs’ preferences for activity-based environmental enrichment can be identified through preference tests, the access to these preferences does not always align with positive behavioural outcomes.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat
Investigating owner relinquishment to animal shelters through data practices, self-rehoming outcomes, and community surrender pathways
No full textRelinquishment of dogs and cats to animal shelters remains a concern due to overcrowding in shelter facilities and separation of multispecies families, which impacts animal welfare and human wellbeing. As such, animal shelters aim to divert intake from facilities through more proactive, community-based solutions. However, investigation of pet surrender outside of shelter facilities remains understudied, despite the potential to provide insight for community-based solutions. The overall objective of this thesis was to analyze the circumstances that lead to owner relinquishment through investigation of animal shelter data and community-based alternatives to relinquishment. Chapter 1 introduces the context for this research. Chapter 2 reviews the literature about owner relinquishment and intake diversion strategies. As current research within animal shelters relies largely on data collected at intake to inform diversion strategies, Chapter 3 evaluates the consistency of data collection practices related to owner relinquishment. Chapter 4 investigates the outcomes of an online self-rehoming website to understand characteristics that predict adoption, retention, and subsequent relinquishment after being posted on the platform. Chapter 5 surveys pet owners who surrendered an animal within the past five years (through self-rehoming or shelter relinquishment) to understand patterns of surrender circumstances that were related to support seeking and use of community surrender pathways. Lastly, Chapter 6 presents a general discussion that proposes the use of an ecological systems model to conceptualize owner relinquishment. This thesis contributes to the literature on owner relinquishment and intake diversion and provides recommendations for organizations to adapt in-shelter and community programming to support the human-animal bond.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat
Novel methods of assessment and intervention to improve cat welfare in animal shelters
No full textFear and anxiety are common challenges affecting the welfare of cats in animal shelters, yet individualized approaches to address these issues remain limited. The primary aim of this thesis was to evaluate intervention strategies that support fearful cats in shelter environments through innovative monitoring methods, a targeted narrative review, a survey of North American shelters, and a clinical trial. In Chapter 1, I provide foundational context by exploring the history of domestic cats and animal shelters, as well as the unique challenges of assessing and addressing cat welfare in shelter environments. In Chapter 2, I introduce BeRSTID, a computer vision-based system that tracks individual cats’ eating and drinking behaviours in real time, offering a practical solution for shelters with limited resources. Validation demonstrated high correlation with human observations, presenting BeRSTID as a scalable option for accurate welfare monitoring. In Chapter 3, I conducted a narrative review of individual-level welfare interventions, including environmental modifications, psychoactive medications, non-pharmaceutical anxiety-reducing alternatives, and behaviour modification techniques. This review underscored the importance of tailored care based on individual temperament and highlighted gaps in research specific to shelter settings. Chapter 4 builds on these findings by exploring the current use of psychoactive medications and alternatives in North American shelters. A survey revealed that while medications like gabapentin and trazodone are commonly used, notable barriers, such as safety concerns and limited knowledge of their efficacy, prevent widespread use for fearful shelter animals. Finally, in Chapter 5, I conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of gabapentin on fearful cats from hoarding environments. Results demonstrated that gabapentin reduced stress and improved behavioural progress, marking the first evidence of effective combined medication and behaviour modification intervention for shelter cats. Together, this research advances the understanding of individualized care strategies for shelter cats, highlighting both practical tools and effective interventions to enhance welfare outcomes.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat
Implications of international dog rescue operations on Canadian sheltering practices
No full textThe international movement of dogs has garnered considerable attention in recent years due to its rapid growth in popularity and occurrence on a global scale. Estimates suggests over 1 million dogs were imported into the United States (US) and over 300,000 dogs to the United Kingdom each year before 2021. Although the official number of dogs arriving at Canada is unknown, Canadian local professionals reported that at least 6,000 dogs were imported in 2013. Zoonotic disease risks and concerns associated with illegal dog import activities, has led US and Canada placing a temporary suspension on all commercial importation of dogs arriving from non-rabies free countries. The importation of dogs has also been associated with concerns for the dog’s behaviour given lack of knowledge on the animal’s backgrounds. To understand the potential implications of commercial dog importation on the owners, the first objective of my thesis was to investigate the effect of dog’s source on the owner-dog relationship. Two independent surveys were sent to dog owners in British Columbia to examine owner-reported assessments of their Canadian vs non-Canadian sourced dogs. I found no evidence of owner-reported poorer welfare for non-Canadian dogs. The second objective of my thesis was to understand why Canadian dog rescue organizations engaged in international dog rescue, and to explore common challenges faced in their line of work. To explore the perspectives of members from this community, I interviewed representatives of Canadian-based international dog rescue organizations. The views of my participants indicated that they were driven by a strong desire to help, but faced logistical and societal barriers that made the development of local rescue partnerships more challenging. Rescue members voiced concerns regarding stigma associated with their work, and expressed a lack of support from other stakeholders. I conclude that imported rescue dogs can be successfully adopted into homes in Canada, but more efforts can be made to support individual rescue organizations that engage in dog import.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Compassion fatigue in animal care employees
No full textAnimal shelter workers are at a high risk for compassion fatigue, burnout, and even suicide. The aim of the first study was to test the “caring-killing paradox” model which suggests that animal shelter staff who partake in husbandry as well as euthanasia have the greatest likelihood of compassion fatigue. Animal shelter staff who partake in constant husbandry and euthanasia, veterinary staff who partake in some husbandry and euthanasia, and university employees who harvest livestock but do not partake in husbandry were included in Experiment 1. Blood pressure was collected pre- and post- euthanasia/harvest and heart rate variability (HRV) was measured throughout. Following euthanasia/harvest, the Professional Quality of Life Questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and a work/personal history questionnaire were administered. In Experiment 1, IES-R was significantly different across jobs (animal shelter M = 26.9, SD = 17.4: harvest M = 9.4, SD = 10.3), but compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were not. This supported the “caring” aspect of the “caring-killing paradox,” but suggested that employees were not experiencing compassion fatigue, but some other form of trauma. In Experiment 2, HRV of animal shelter staff who do not euthanize regularly were compared to those that do as well as pet hotel employees. The Moral Injury Event Scale (MIES) was also added. The psychometric and physiological measures did not differ across job, rejecting the “killing” aspect of the “caring-killing paradox.” MIES was significantly correlated with IES-R, but no other measure, supporting the idea that employees are not suffering from compassion fatigue. The second study, a survey sent to shelters nationwide, aimed to look at the impact of Live Release Rate (LRR) and choice on IES-R, compassion satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and MIES. Compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, moral injury, and burnout were positively correlated with LRR. MIES had a significant negative correlation with whether or not an employee euthanizes. This further supports the idea that animal care employees may be morally injured. Secondary traumatic stress was correlated with deciding which animal will be euthanized. This suggests that choice is important when it comes to specific animal chosen for euthanasia
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