Owner and animal factors predict the incidence of, and owner reaction towards, problem behaviors in companion dogs

Unwelcome behaviors in pet dogs may have serious implications for the quality of life of both the animals and their owners. We investigated owners\u2019 perceptions about their dogs\u2019 behavioral issues as well as other factors that might be predictive of potential canine problem behaviors. We distinguished between \u201cundesirable behaviors\u201d (behaviors that were unpleasant to the owners) and \u201cproblematic behaviors\u201d (behaviors that the owners found difficult to overcome). We designed an on-line survey eliciting information about owners, their dogs, their relationship with their dogs and whether the animals exhibited any of 15 potentially problematic behaviors. The largest proportion of respondents (65%) reported that their dogs exhibited undesirable, but not problematic, behaviors and were not interested in their modification. Only 32% of the respondents considered the behavior to be both undesirable and problematic and wished to change it. The owners\u2019 perception of a problem was associated with reports of fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. The owner\u2019s gender, marital status and attitude towards the dog as his/her child as well as the dog\u2019s age, size, age at acquisition and breed emerged as robust predictors. Compared to all other behavioral categories, reported aggressive canine behaviors were three times more likely to elicit an owner\u2019s wish to address them. This study revealed that the behaviors of dogs may be perceived differently by their owners and the type of perception may influence the owner\u2019s actual willingness to change those behaviors. Moreover, we identified the most robust set of factors that, either individually or combined, would help predict a dog\u2019s potential problem behaviors and an owner\u2019s attitude towards them, which will be useful in improving rational prevention and treatment strategies

Animal Welfare in Ecotourism

The negative welfare experienced by some animals within the tourism trade has been well publicised across various mediums, from modern scientific literature and industry audits to public outcry on social media. However, options for sustainable, enjoyable and responsible animal based tourism do exist. The difficulty lies in providing sufficient and effective information to tourists to allow them to make decisions to visit attractions which match their \u2018eco\u2019 conservation and animal welfare expectations. Through the highlighting of successful fieldwork case studies, impactful discussions and future research can be pursued

May Salivary Chromogranin A Act as a Physiological Index of Stress in Transported Donkeys? A Pilot Study

Road transport is known to be a stressful animal husbandry procedure as it induces the activation of two main physiological stress-related pathways: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis and the sympathetic-adrenal medulla axis. This preliminary study aimed to investigate whether salivary chromogranin A (CgA) concentration, known as a biomarker of the sympathetic activity system during psychological stress, may represent a novel physiological index of transportation-induced stress in donkeys. Nineteen Romagnolo donkeys, raised in groups on paddocks, were subject to two transportations, following the farm's routine procedures, for a mean duration of 64 min each on two consecutive days. Salivary samples were gently collected 15 min before and 15 min after each transportation. Salivary CgA was measured by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Results showed that CgA salivary levels significantly decreased after both transportations. The physiological mechanisms underlying this result may be related to catestatin activity, a bioactive product of the proteolytic cleavage of CgA, that acts as an inhibitor of catecholamine release. This hypothesis requires further investigation, particularly considering the limited number of subjects involved in this preliminary study. The identification of a reliable and non-invasive stress-marker would represent a useful tool for improving farm animals' welfare in transport conditions

Personality assessment and effect of visitors on a group of lions (panthera Leo) hosted in captivity

In the last 10 years researches have been focused on the impact of personality on welfare, health and management of zoo animals. The present study, as part of a wider research in European Zoos, had the purpose to identify the personality of three female and one male lions housed at Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park. Moreover, since researches have reported significant effects of visitor presence on zoo animals, in particular primates and felids, the effects of visitors on the behaviour of these animals was also evaluated. The study was made of two different periods, one in the presence and one in the absence of visitors. Data on individual and social behaviours were collected using focal animal sampling method. The enclosure was ideally divided in different zones. During each observational session, the zone in which the animal was, the position of body, the proximity to conspecifics were also collected. The time budget, the association index and the sociogram were then calculated. Besides, a survey (modified from Chadwick, 2014) was proposed to the two keepers of the lions. The questionnaires listed 31 traits rated on a scale from 1 (trait was never exhibited) to 12 (trait was always exhibited) by the keepers for each lion. Personality profiles were defined for each individual through the questionnaires correlated with behavioural data. Statistical analysis within subjects underlined a significant difference in the following traits: curious, friendly to conspecifics, playful, solitary. In addition, the ANOVA (F-test) assessed a significant difference between the two periods of observation (with and without visitors) for the curious, eccentric, playful and vocal traits. The results showed that the different personality between animals seems not be related to age, gender or rearing history. Studies about animal personality are useful to guarantee a good care and the management of each individuals

What are we losing? Are the personality traits of Italian autochthonous cows different from those of cosmopolitan breeds?

Objective: This study assessed personality traits in five cattle breeds (Bos taurus), two cosmopolitan (Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss) and three endangered Italian autochthonous (Varzese, Rendena, and Modenese). Our aim was to provide an evaluation of the personality dimensions obtained by our questionnaire in order to compare some Italian autochthonous breeds with the cosmopolitan one. Our choice fell upon the comparison of the Varzese, the Modenese, the Rendena, the Brown Swiss, and the Holstein Friesian because the genetic selection at the base of the typical attitudes has induced different characteristics, and as a consequence, detectable differences in personality can be expected between the populations. Materials and methods: A personality questionnaire was completed by milkers/owners for each subject involved in this study. The milking staff involved in the study have been working with cows for over 20 years; they have experience with numerous breeds, and therefore, can be considered expert evaluators since they certainly have an appreciation of the full range of cow behavior. Results: The milkers\u2019 assessments analysis found breed differences in dairy cattle, showing that certain personality traits are more marked in certain breeds in terms of curiosity, friendliness to milkers, and responses to unknown people. Conclusion: This pilot survey shows the usefulness of questionnaires in cattle personality studies, highlighting some peculiarity of the endangered breeds

How different husbandry conditions influence hind-gut microbiome, cortisol level and behaviour in lambs?

The gut microbiota\u2013brain axis is a bidirectional pathway through which the brain regulates the activity of the gut and vice versa. The intestinal microbiota was proven to influence and be influenced by stressrelated responses caused by management conditions. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether different husbandry conditions in lambs influenced gut microbiome (composition and diversity), cortisol level and behaviour. Fifteen Sarda breed lambs, aged 6 months, were randomly assigned to three groups of 5 animals each: Isolation (tactile and visual isolation; 3 h/day for 8 weeks); Enriched (in group in a outdoor grassy pen with a new enrichment each week; 3 h/day for 8 weeks); Control (habitual farm environment). Every week, 2 video-recordings of 1-hour each were collected respectively during and after each treatment, and analysed using a scan sampling technique (60 scans per video). Every two weeks hair was collected from the right shoulder using a shave and re-shave method. Cortisol concentration was measured by means of an ELISA test conducted on hair samples and expressed as pg/ml. At week 8 faecal material was collected directly from the rectal ampulla and immediately frozen at 1220\ub0C until DNA extraction was performed using a QIAmp DNA Stool kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). DNA quality and quantity were assessed using a NanoDrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer (NanoDrop Technologies, Wilmington, DE, USA). The microbiota of enriched animals was clearly different from the other two groups and showed lower within group variability. During treatment, only isolated sheep showed escape attempts (23% of scans during the first week) and freezing (58% of scans during the first week). In the home pen, after treatment, lambs did not show any stress-related behaviour. After one month of treatment, hair cortisol increased only in the isolated group. In conclusion, differences in microbiome could be related to the different stimulating enrichment and addition of grass on the diet. Although, from a behavioural point of view, sheep apparently habituated to the isolation, increase in cortisol levels could be related to experiencing a stressful situation

Role of personality in behavioral responses to new environments in captive panthera leo persica

Studying personality in captive animals may enable the development of more individual-based management decisions in terms of husbandry, enrichment, and breeding, which may help to improve overall animal welfare. The Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) at London Zoo represent an opportunity to research an understudied species\u2019 response to new environments. In the last few years, these lions have experienced several social and physical changes, such as new enclosures and increased social interaction with humans. This project aimed to investigate the role of personality in behavioral responses to these new environments. Lion personality questionnaires completed by keepers and direct focal animal observations were used to create personality profiles. Time budgets and enclosure use were determined and compared between control nights and human social event nights, and between the lions\u2019 previous enclosure and their new one. The results showed a lack of a difference in time budget and enclosure use between control nights and social event nights, and overall the Spread of Participation Index values revealed the lions use their enclosures unevenly. Personality profiles identified various traits (e.g., curious and eccentric) that could assist with individual-based management decisions, such as enrichment strategies. As the first study to assess Asiatic lions personality, this research contributes to the creation of consistent and valid methodology for evaluating captive animal personality. Personality assessment may help to improve husbandry and welfare protocols for individual lions, leading to the improved health and success of the species

The personality of captive lionessess influence their reaction to environmental and social changes?

Studying the personality traits in zoo animals might be useful to better satisfy their behavioral needs and improve individual well-being [1]. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the response of a group of lionesses exposed to environmental and social changes, and to correlate them to their personality profile. The subjects were three lionesses (Panthera leo) housed at Parco Natura Viva. Personality traits were evaluated by rating method [2] and then behavioral observation data were collected (continuous focal animal sampling method) and analyzed (BORIS software [3]) focusing on individual and social behaviours. During the first period (baseline), no changes were introduced in the lioness\u2019s life and environment. In the second period, two male lions arrived at the park, and where hosted in an enclosure near to the study lionesses. In the third period, lionesses were provided with novel objects (panels with pictures). The results showed that personality profiles were different between the study subjects. The results of behavioral observations have highlighted that the arrival of the new males led to behavioral changes in particular in social behavior (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.016) which also differed significantly between the lionesses (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05). Moreover, the arrival of the two males led the lionesses to perform pacing with differences between them (Kruskal-Wallis test p < 0.05). The introduction of novel objects helps the lionesses to manage the arrival of the new lions (Wilcoxon test (p < 0.016). In conclusion, all the three subjects were affected by the new stimuli, but the extent of the behavioral modification varied significantly from one lioness to the other, confirming various personality profiles previously assessed

Do personality traits diverge in different communally housed captive penguin species?

Research into animal personality has grown over the last decade as its relevance to animal health and welfare has become more apparent. Personality has been used also for aspects of captive management, including decreasing stress, increasing positive health outcomes, successful breeding also in terms of infant survival. For wildlife management, determining inter-species differences in the personality traits of communally housed animals could be of great help to optimize the use of resources, in order to improve animal welfare. In group-living species, integrated decisions made by individuals result in collective behaviors which may, in turn, influence interactions between individuals and shape the resulting social system. There is evidence that animal groups may exhibit coordinated behavior and make collective decisions based on simple interaction rules. It has been described that in a flock or a colony, birds tend to exhibit behavioral synchrony, maintaining similar behavior at approximately the same time throughout the group, and also wild penguins have exhibited within-group synchrony. In this study we have considered three species of penguins, housed together at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, UK. The exhibit houses a colony of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), a bachelor group of King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and a small colony of Northern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes moseleyi). In a mixed species enclosure, animals are far more intermingled than they would be in the wild and have a limited area in which to maintain different territories. A keeper questionnaire (coding method) was used to produce personality profiles for each penguin. A multivariate analysis (Multiple Factor Analysis) on the mean values of the variables was used to analyze the data. The quantitative variables were all the measured characteristics; gender and species were included as qualitative variables. Results outlined a distinct personality in each animal, distinguishing each species in personality traits. The three species are almost sharply separated in the multidimensional space. In Gentoo and in Northern rockhopper penguins the prevailing components include some aggressiveness, fear, and insecurity. King penguins seem to be the \u201cmildest\u201d species, with components related to activity, playfulness, friendliness, and curiosity. We advocate that a deeper understanding of each animal\u2019s personality and behavior can offer practical help to zoological institutions to facilitate daily husbandry, animal welfare, tailor training or enrichment and ultimately increase reproductive success

Personality profiles in autochcthonous italian cattle breeds: a pilot study

Knowledge of individual personality is a useful tool in animal husbandry and can be used effectively to improve welfare. This study assessed personality in five different cattle breeds (Bos taurus)\u2014two cosmopolitan (Holstein and Brown) and three Italian autochthonous\u2014through a personality questionnaire completed by handlers (milkers). The objective was to determine whether this method could detect differences in personality, linked to a variety of variables including breed, age and gender. The handlers\u2019 assessments found breed and individual differences in dairy and beef cattle. Differences in personality traits were quite evident between individuals but consistent within each breed. This result shows how certain personality traits are more marked in certain breeds in terms of curiosity, friendliness to milkers and responses to unknown people. This pilot survey shows the usefulness of questionnaires in cattle personality studies and its potential extension to other domestic and wild bovids both in- and ex-situ