Pets in a changing world – Past, Present and Future

O. Doherty, The Animal Behaviour Clinic & University College Dublin
(orladoherty@live.ie)

The role of Companion Animals has changed significantly in recent years. Companion Animals now include a wider group of species than ever before, with dogs, cats and in recent years horses, the main species classified in this way. Companion animals, particularly small animals, live in closer physical proximity to their human family than ever before. The number of pet-owning families has increased steadily during the past 40 years; approximately 62% of households in the western world share their home with one or more pets. Strong social bonds develop, with greater affluence and advances in veterinary medicine increasing pet lifespans –pets are seen as important family members. During Covid, the number of pet-owning families increased further, including many first-time owners, in an unprecedented world event resulting in increased stress levels, reduced social interactions and increased amount of pet-human contact time. The high number of pets relinquished to shelters post-Covid will undoubtedly have had a major negative impact on the welfare of those surrendered companion animals. Traumatic world events, climate change, increased global connectivity via social media and the impact of improved technology has resulted in enormous changes in human lifestyle, pressures expectations and behaviours. Selective breeding addressing specific trends in pet selection, and enormous increases in the ranges of pet care products available bring with them both positive and negative impacts on the possibility of companion animals having their behavioural, health-related and ethological needs met. Extensive research into the human-animal bond and interactions has identified significant beneficial impacts of pet ownership on humans, in mental and physical health and also social interactions. However, the demand for popular recently developed breed combinations, in a world of smartphones, rapid technological developments and busy lifestyles may coexist with an unrealistic expectations by owners for their chosen companion animals to have greater flexibility in adapting to present-day lifestyles, which, when not met, contribute to high rates of relinquishment of dogs to shelters, and incidence of problematic behaviours displayed by pets.

Seen through the perspective of 30 years working as a veterinary behaviourist in Ireland, this presentation will address changing expectations of pet owners and wider society around companion animals, what that means for those animals, and how we might best ensure that in this rapidly changing world, the animals under our care are given the best opportunity possible to live a Good Life.

Lay Persons Message: Animals have played an increasingly important role as pets or companion animals in recent years. The world is changing rapidly in many ways, and with these changes the well-being of companion animals can in some cases improve but in other situations, deteriorate. Covid, designer dogs, faster and more pressured lifestyles and technology have all contributed to challenges to pet owners to ensure that their pets live a good life.

The Landscape of Companion Animal Rescue in NZ

C. Roseveare , Massey University , c.roseveare@massey.ac.nz

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of companion animal ownership worldwide, with animal rescue organisations playing a pivotal role in facilitating companion animal rehoming and adoption. However, despite their significance there is much we don’t know about the animal rescue landscape. New Zealand does not have a national database for rescue organisations and there is a lack of published studies of New Zealand animal rescue organisations. This study aimed to address this gap. The objectives were to (1) describe the characteristics of Companion Animal Rescue Organisations (CAROs) (2) to describe current capacity, resource limitations and challenges of CAROs with a focus on cats and dogs and (3) To explore support for creating a national database of CAROS in New Zealand to make it easier to understand capacity and provide support. A cross sectional on-line survey was carried out with 108 CAROs. CAROs were asked about (i) the characteristics of their organisation (ii) types and numbers of animals they cared for, main services provided, intake and euthanasia policies, resources available, including access to veterinary services, and main challenges faced. A second section asked about attitudes towards a national database for rescue organisations – the likelihood they would register, the kind of information they would be comfortable sharing, and with whom, and any concerns about such a database. The CAROs who participated were providing services to an estimated 60,000 animals a year, relying heavily on voluntary labour and highlighting the pivotal role of volunteers in the sector. Nearly half (47%) had a workforce of less than 10. Many faced significant challenges. A prevailing theme was feeling consistently pressured for time with insufficient resources to meet the constant flow of animals needing their services. The likelihood of registering on a national database was high, with 78 (72%) of all 108 respondents replying that they would be extremely or somewhat likely to register. The study sheds light on the challenges and capacities of New Zealand’s companion animal rescue organizations, emphasising the need for funding, resources, and policy changes to support their work, and the well-being of companion animals in New Zealand. The results will also contribute to the establishment of a national database of CAROs.

Lay Persons Message: In New Zealand organizations dedicated to rescuing and rehoming companion animals are crucial in helping thousands of animals find new homes each year. This research which surveyed 108 rescue organisations aims to draw attention to the important work of these organizations, highlighting the need for funding, resources, and policy changes to ensure the well-being of companion animals in New Zealand.

Providing a ‘good life’ for retired greyhounds – factors influencing successful homing and proposed mitigations.

M.L.H. Campbell1 and M.A. Charteris2, Dept of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Herts AL9 7TA UK.

1 Current address: School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Nottingham University, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK

2 Current address: Sunderland Animal Hospital at 52 Amherst Rd. Sunderland, MA, 01375, USA

Madeleine.Campbell@nottingham.ac.uk

The fate of greyhounds after retirement from racing is a matter of concern both to the general public and within the sport . Provision of a suitable home after retirement is a core requirement of providing a ‘Good Life for Every Greyhound’ as described in the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s 2022 Welfare Strategy. Currently, the UK is experiencing a generalised canine ‘homing crisis’ due to knock-on impacts of the Covid 19 pandemic combined with a cost-of-living crisis. This study aimed to elucidate factors which negatively impact an individual greyhound’s chance of being offered a home and/or increase their chances of being returned, to inform mitigation strategies. Nine British stakeholder greyhound homing organisations participated in semi-structured interviews. They ranged from small centres working primarily using fostering to large, national organisations; some dealt only with greyhounds, some also with other breeds of dog. Participant responses were analysed using Nvivo software (Lumivero Ltd, London, UK) and thematic analysis following the method of Braun & Clarke (2006). This showed that some of the barriers to homing a greyhound are also barriers to homing other dogs: size, colour, failure to interact with potential homers and known behavioural issues. Similarly, some of the reasons why greyhounds get returned to centres having initially been homed are also reasons why other breeds get returned, including separation anxiety and issues which are specific to homers rather than to the dogs themselves. However, greyhounds also face additional challenges which may either prevent them from being offered a home to start with or cause them to be relinquished after initially successful rehoming. These include misapprehensions amongst potential owners about how much exercise they require, unrealistic understanding amongst homers about a greyhound’s innate prey drive, and the challenges which greyhounds face around moving into a domestic environment as adults, which are not commonly faced by dogs of other breeds. Key amongst mitigations which will improve the success of efforts to home greyhounds and ease their transition to a ‘good life’ in a domestic environment upon retirement are providing education for potential and actual homers, and behavioural programmes to familiarise a greyhound with the domestic environment and other animals in it, early in the greyhound’s life. Positive promotion of the breed and of individuals via social media may increase public interest in offering a home to greyhounds, who typically have many years of life ahead of them at the point of retirement.

Improving companion animal regulation in line with the expectations of New Zealanders

M. McAninch1, A. Vaughan1, C. Sumner1, J. Walker1, B Lahman1 and A. Dale1

1Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

marie.mcaninch@spca.nz

According to the Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealanders have high expectations that animals under human care are well looked after. It is often stated that New Zealand has a reputation for high animal welfare standards which has helped us to secure access to markets internationally – and one of the aims of the National Animal Welfare Strategy is explicitly to add value to our exports. Our country was one of the first countries to acknowledge animal sentience in our legislation in 2015, and the first to entirely ban livestock export by sea. But how has New Zealand been progressing standards related to companion animal care? While exports have been the focus, our Codes of Welfare (sets of minimum standards issued under the Animal Welfare Act 1999) for cats and dogs have not been updated for more than a decade. New Zealand does not have any standards for rabbits, our third most popular companion animal. World Animal Protection’s Animal Protection Index graded New Zealand a “D” in 2020 for protecting companion animals, noting that there are no regulations for buying, selling, or breeding companion animals, and that the standards which are in place are largely not directly enforceable.

The expectations of the public, and organisations like SPCA, are rapidly changing. So are the expectations of independent rescues and their supporters. Other like-minded jurisdictions like Australia, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have set requirements around companion animal breeding. Some governments have gone further with innovative non-regulatory interventions such as desexing grants to rescues and community support and education for companion animal guardians. SPCA has been increasing our focus on legislative advocacy. We are particularly concerned that New Zealand’s current approach to dealing with irresponsible companion animal breeders (both large-scale operations breeding primarily for profit, and accidental breeding) is ad-hoc and does not result in good welfare outcomes. We provide an overview of our current and future advocacy work in this area: including the ways in which we rely on other organisations like CANZ and the ways in which others can get involved.

Ensuring dog owners in Aotearoa New Zealand use ethical training methods: a com-b analysis to inform intervention design

J. Wainwright

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK

jodiefwainwright@gmail.com

Owner expectations of dogs have changed over time. Dogs are increasingly expected to adapt to our human lifestyles and behave according to our social rules. Where our expectations are unrealistic and dogs display behaviours considered problematic, the relationship between owner and dog can break down, leading to relinquishment to shelters or even euthanasia. Owners are responsible for training their dog to meet these expectations, and the methods they use can influence their dog’s success. Aversive-based methods are commonly used and can negatively influence dog welfare by inflicting pain, discomfort, or fear to change behaviour and may lead to development of problem behaviours. To ensure that dogs can meet our societal expectations, whilst experiencing a good life, we need to ensure that owners are training them ethically and effectively. Interventions to change owner behaviour must be based on evidence to be effective. The aim of this study was to investigate what needs to change for owners to use reward-based methods more, and aversive-based methods less, to provide an evidence basis to inform future intervention design. An online survey of 269 dog owners in Aotearoa New Zealand asked closed-ended multiple choice questions split into sections according to the COM-B model. COM-B recognises that a person’s capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M) are an interacting system which determine their behaviour (B). Owners were asked about their behaviour when training their dog then scored on their use of reward-based methods, and use of aversive-based methods. The remaining questions asked about knowledge (psychological capability), skills (physical capability), social norms (social opportunity), practicalities (physical opportunity), perceptions and beliefs (reflective motivation), and emotional responses (automatic motivation). Analysis determined which COM factors predicted behaviour scores, and stepwise linear regression identified which had the strongest effect on behaviour. Intervention designers should prioritise improving owner skill in using reward-based methods as this had the strongest effect on predicting increased use of reward-based methods (β=0.389, p<0.001), and decreasing use of aversive-based methods (β=-0.170, p<0.05). To increase use of reward-based methods interventions should then focus on practicalities (β=0.244, p<0.001), social norms (β=0.203, p<0.001), and knowledge (β=0.180, p<0.001), respectively. The COM-B model facilitated the identification of important dog owner factors influencing choice of training method. This is the first study to apply COM-B to dog welfare and provides an evidence basis to inform strategic design of human behaviour change interventions which have the potential to improve the welfare of companion dogs.

Lay Persons Message: Owners are responsible for training their dog to meet society’s expectations but the methods they use can have negative welfare effects. An online survey of 269 dog owners in Aotearoa New Zealand aimed to understand their behaviour related to the training methods they use, to understand what needs to change for owners to use ethical methods. It was found that interventions would be most effective if they improve dog owner skill at using reward-based methods.

Pets and Problem behaviour –Companion Animals NZ Accredited trainers and behaviourists

J. Beer

Kiwi Vet Behaviour,

jess@kiwivetbehaviour.co.nz

In this presentation there will be an overview of the CANZ Accredited behaviourists and trainers membership Scheme and its relevance to pets, vets and animal carers.

Companion Animals and Climate Change: Identifying Links and Opportunities (Recorded talk)

A. Protopopova

The Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

a.protopopova@ubc.ca

Companion animals both impact and are impacted by the changing climate through their intrinsically linked relationships to human society. I will identify several anticipated climate change outcomes, such as an increase in extreme weather events, human migration, disasters, and an increase in human inequity, and connect these outcomes to identified or hypothesized impacts on companion animals and the human-animal bond. I will further suggest opportunities to reduce climate change impacts on companion animals that include alterations to owner caretaking behaviours and breeding practices, and education of owners and governments on zoonosis and disaster preparedness. Furthermore, building climate resilience through decreasing inequity in companion animal fields is paramount; and a good starting place is in animal sheltering. I will also summarize how companion animals and owners' caretaking behaviours are impacting climate change through the use of finite natural resources as well as pollution and carbon emissions. Replacement, reduction, and refinement, that guide laboratory animal research, can also be useful to mitigate the effects of companion animals on the environment. After the talk, the audience will be called upon to actively consider their role in mitigating the impact of companion animals on the climate and preparing for the fallout of climate change in their communities.

Unveiling the unspoken heroes: harnessing the power of connection in emergencies through the human-animal bond and community unity

H E Squance, Palmerston North, New Zealand (hayley.squance@gmail.com )

In times of crisis, consider the unwavering strength of the human-animal bond and the resilience found in community connections emerge as pivotal pillars in response and recovery efforts. This presentation delves into the transformative potential of these interwoven connections in navigating the turbulent landscape of emergencies. Exploring the profound influence of the human-animal bond, I seek to illuminate the often-underestimated role that companion animals play during emergencies. From providing solace and emotional support to becoming invaluable partners in rescue and recovery operations, their presence transcends mere companionship, significantly shaping the resilience of individuals and communities alike. Moreover, the presentation underscores the indispensable essence of community cohesion and solidarity in times of crisis. By fostering a sense of collective support, unity, and shared responsibility, communities become formidable forces capable of swift and effective response, and sustained recovery following adversities. Drawing on real-life examples and multidisciplinary insights, in this talk I aim to inspire and equip attendees with a deeper understanding of how fostering the human-animal bond and nurturing community connections are fundamental to preparedness, response, and recovery in the face of emergencies. Join me as I delve into the transformative potential of these connections and uncover the latent strength they offer in creating more resilient communities, better equipped to navigate the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Sustainability and companion animals – from breeding and shelter management to veterinary practice (Recorded talk)

H.J. Bacon

School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Central Lancashire. Preston, UK

hbacon@uclan.ac.uk

There are estimated to be over a billion companion animals globally and an increasing focus on the interaction between animal welfare and sustainability. It has been suggested that the integration of animal welfare into the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) would support their achievement, and that effective work towards achieving the SDGs could also enhance animal welfare. In particular SDG3: Good health and wellbeing, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, provide an opportunity for considering the role and value of our companion animals in a sustainable future.

Whilst the benefits of companion animals in human wellbeing, service and companionship are well recognized in the literature their inclusion in SDG 3 in particular, could provide a great opportunity to showcase this, however their inclusion in SDG 11 and 12 also potentially poses some challenges.

In the UK, as in many parts of the world, the estimated dog population has risen overall from 8.3 million in 2011 to 11 million in 2023, and pet ownership in general has also increased, with 53% of UK adults owning a pet in 2023. However, there’s also been an increase in pet relinquishment, especially for pets owned by younger owners. 53% of those owning new pets are <34 years old. Almost one quarter (23%) of owners in this group have been unable to keep their pet, and 71% of all pet relinquishments can be attributed to this group. Considering which pets were relinquished; 60% were dogs, 45% cats and 4% another type of animal. This surge in pet ownership has to be supported by increased animal breeding – often driven by commercial opportunities rather than a desire to improve dog and cat health and welfare, and the increased relinquishment places an increased burden on animal shelters, rescue and rehoming organisations. In this presentation we will look specifically at the sustainability challenges created by these two ‘ends’ of the companion animal ownership journey.

Sustainability in companion animal care is an emerging challenge. In the UK environmental sustainability has become a key part of veterinary practice, with sustainability now an educational accreditation requirement for veterinary education from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and this aligns with the desire to support SDG 11 and 12. As such veterinarians are encouraged to consider the environmental impact of their clinical and non-clinical activity. However, in a landscape where veterinarians are increasingly faced with high proportions of poorly-bred and unhealthy dogs, bred for commercial or aesthetic priorities, that is challenging. There are numerous studies showing this to be the case; examples include; brachycephalic breeds, which have dramatically increased in popularity, suffer from significantly more health and welfare problems and require more clinical intervention than many other breeds. This increase in dogs requiring veterinary intervention as a result of aesthetic selection, contributes to a number of sustainability challenges faced by veterinarians including increased PPE, clinical waste, anaesthetic gas use, etc.

The financial and emotional burden that dealing with unhealthy dogs places on their owners is suggested to be one of the factors driving relinquishment, with increasing numbers of brachycephalic dogs being given to shelters. Whilst these dogs may also be considered more adoptable due to their aesthetic appeal, the overall increase in dogs given up by pet owners creates a sustainability challenge. It has been suggested that SDG 12 could be supported by responsible animal production and consumption practices. Whilst the increase in pet ownership does not appear to be driven by responsible production of companion animals, this increasing pet population creates sustainability challenges in other areas of the animal sector. Increased pet populations drive the need for increased pet food manufacture and the production and consumption of food of animal origin – something which directly undermines sustainability objectives. The negative environmental impacts of animal-protein diets are increasingly recognized, and yet the cost:benefit of producing these diets to sustain a population of companion animals that have been relinquished is rarely acknowledged. This ethical dilemma becomes more complex when we consider that we are potentially producing and slaughtering livestock animals and thus creating welfare as well as sustainability challenges, in order to support a population of cats and dogs that have been relinquished by pet owners. These cats and dogs may themselves require complex veterinary interventions (generating clinical waste and consuming anaesthetic gas), as well as heat, housing and waste disposal, which all contribute negatively to their environmental footprint. Whilst alternate approaches to managing stray or relinquished animal populations may also be ethically challenging, if we’re aiming to address the wicked problems of climate change and sustainability in companion animals, we must start to wrestle with these uncomfortable questions. Research efforts should focus on better understanding the impact that unsustainable breeding and relinquishment of companion animals has on the environment, and other animal production systems, using a systems based one health-one welfare approach, and resource allocation should be rationalized. Whilst the important role that companion animals play in our lives should not be undervalued, we also should be mindful that the impact of maintaining their populations, on the welfare of other animals and the environment, cannot be overlooked.

Paws and Progress: The Disruptive Shift Towards Pet Sustainability

S. Brittain, (Vice Chair) Companion Animals New Zealand

sas.brittain@gmail.com

In this talk I will discuss questions related to pet sustainability and potential consequences. This will include the following;

• Why disruptive innovation? the urgency for disruptive changes in the pet industry for both animals and the environment.

• Examples of disruptive innovations in the pet industry - eg lab-grown pet food, digital and virtual pet adoption platforms, eco-design and material science, decentralized breeding control with blockchain, AI and data analytics for animal welfare

• Challenges and considerations for disruptive innovations - market acceptance, regulation and oversight, economic implications

• How might we engage the ecosystem - eg cross-industry collaboration, crowdfunding and venture capital, pet owner education

• Empowerment, a visionary future, call to action

FT1 Speaker: Buda Szerelem-Tolnay

“I Don’t See Him as Just an Animal’ Uncovering and Interpreting Relationships of Significance with Companion Cats through Phenomenological Case Study”

B. Szerelem-Tolnay, Victoria University Wellington (buda.szerelemtolnay@vuw.ac.nz)

FT2 Speaker: Christine Roseveare

“Companion animal fostering as health promotion”

C. Roseveare, Massey University, (c.roseveare@massey.ac.nz )

FT3 Speaker: Niloofar Solhjoo

“Informed living, loving and learning with Companion Animals.”

N Solhjoo , School of Information Management, Te Herenga Waka/ Victoria University of Wellington , (niloofar.solhjoo@vuw.ac.nz)

FT4 Speaker: Katja Isaksen

A longitudinal study of lifelong health in search-and-rescue dogs recruited in the aftermath of 9/11

K Isaksen, Massey University (k.isaksen@massey.ac.nz )

FT5 Leonie Lee

Equined, 7 Lower Duneed Rd, Mt Duneed, 3217 Victoria, Australia (leonieleeemail@gmail.com)

A more holistic life for our equine companions by design: a review of the evidence and practice of equine environment design and construction

PD Insurance; SVS and InsightsHQ

Beyond Companionship: Unravelling the Dynamic Bond Between Humans and Their Animal Friends

E.K. Visser and S.C. Haven-Pross, Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands (k.visser@aeres.nl)

The bond between humans and companion animals represents a unique interspecies relationship that has evolved over thousands of years. This relationship is not merely a product of domestication but also a result of complex emotional, psychological, and social factors that have influenced both human and animal behaviours and well-being. Understanding this dynamic relationship is crucial for the welfare of companion animals and the humans who care for them, as well as for the broader understanding of human-animal interactions in a societal context.

The history of human-animal relationships dates back to the domestication of animals. Early humans formed bonds with animals for practical reasons, such as hunting, protection, and agriculture. However, over time, these relationships evolved beyond utilitarian purposes, leading to the development of emotional and social bonds. The domestication of dogs, for instance, is believed to have occurred over 30,000 years ago, and since then, dogs have played various roles in human societies, from working animals to beloved family members.

The benefits of human-animal relationships are not one-sided; they are mutual. While companion animals receive care, affection, and stability from their human caregivers, humans in turn gain emotional support, companionship, and often improved physical health and psychological well-being. Studies have shown that interacting with pets can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even decrease the risk of heart disease. The presence of a pet can provide comfort, reduce loneliness, and increase feelings of happiness and well-being.

In a study with veterans it was demonstrated that veterans that owned dogs experienced less anxiety, fewer sleep disturbances, and a lower risk of alcohol abuse. Additionally, these veterans had fewer instances of sleep disturbances, significantly less severe symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and an overall positive influence on both physiological and psychological wellbeing.

The rapidly expanding domain of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) is a testament to the growing recognition of the beneficial roles animals can play in human health. This field focuses on the therapeutic effects stemming from human-animal interactions. Research in this area has shown that AAIs can effectively reduce stress indicators, including cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. Moreover, in environments like hospitals and mental health facilities, animals can significantly enhance social interactions and emotional connections. This often results in improved overall mood and a decrease in feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Although a significant number of studies point to a positive association between human-animal interaction and mental health improvements, there remains considerable scepticism about the definitiveness of these conclusions. The inconsistency in research results regarding human-animal interactions is largely due to varied methodologies and the associated shortcomings in the research approaches used. Additionally, the intrinsic complexity and variability inherent in the dynamic relationship between humans and animals also play a role in producing diverse research findings.

The psychological impact of human-animal relationships on companion animals is profound. Animals, like humans, are capable of experiencing a range of emotions, including joy, fear, and anxiety. The quality of their relationships with humans can significantly affect their emotional state. For example, dogs that receive regular affection and attention from their owners tend to show signs of happiness and contentment. It has been demonstrated that when individuals stare into the dog’s eyes the ‘cuddle hormone’ (oxytocine) increases significantly in humans. This increase gives humans feelings of joy, happiness and relaxation. At the same time, the close interaction, for example, petting a dog, results in a significant increase in the oxytocine levels in the dogs as well. Similarly to dogs, cats, although more independent by nature, also display attachment and affection towards their human caregivers, affecting their emotional well-being.

The physiological impacts of human-animal relationships on companion animals are equally significant. Animals that enjoy positive interactions with humans often have better physical health. Regular play, exercise, and proper veterinary care, typically provided by caring owners, contribute to the overall physical well-being of companion animals. Conversely, animals that lack human interaction or are exposed to negative interactions may suffer from health problems related to stress, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise.

The behaviour of companion animals is greatly influenced by their interactions with humans. Positive reinforcement, training, and socialization play critical roles in shaping the behaviour of pets. Well-socialized animals that receive consistent and positive interactions with humans tend to be more well-adjusted, displaying fewer behavioural problems such as aggression or anxiety. In contrast, animals that experience inconsistent or negative interactions with humans may develop behavioural issues, which can impact their ability to interact safely with humans and other animals.

Human-animal relationships also have broader social and cultural implications. In many societies, pets are considered part of the family, reflecting the deep emotional bonds formed between humans and animals. This relationship can influence human social behaviour, such as increased social interaction and community involvement. Pets often serve as social facilitators, helping individuals connect with others in their community. A popular example is the improvement of reading skills in children. It was found that children who read aloud to dogs showed improvements in their reading skills and attitudes towards reading. This effect is attributed to the relaxed environment created by the dog's presence, making it easier for children to engage with reading material.

As the understanding of the importance of human-animal relationships grows, so does the recognition of the ethical responsibilities that come with keeping companion animals. These responsibilities include ensuring the physical and emotional well-being of pets, providing them with a safe and nurturing environment, and respecting their natural behaviours and needs. The ethics of breeding, ownership, and the use of animals for human purposes are also important considerations in the context of human-animal relationships.

The relationship between humans and their pets is complex, touching on emotional, physical, and social elements. Over time, these connections have grown from simple living together to strong emotional and social ties that deeply affect the health and happiness of both people and animals. It's crucial to understand and care for these relationships to ensure the well-being of pets and to help build a caring and responsible community.

Who’s having fun at the Dog Park?

C. Kemp, Unitec-Te Pukenga, (ckemp2@unitec.ac.nz)

Off-leash dog parks are public spaces commonly utilised by guardians as opportunities for their dogs to be exercised and socialised. However, these spaces are rarely purposely designed; as a result, they may hold little benefit for dogs. Furthermore, dog guardians may not follow appropriate dog park etiquette due to poor knowledge of dog behaviour, disinterest in following leash rules, and a misunderstanding of the needs of dogs. As a result, dog trainers often do not recommend using dog parks as a primary source of socialisation, and there are anecdotal reports of increasing numbers of aversive events occurring in these spaces. Understanding how people and their dogs use dog parks is important for providing insight into any potential welfare benefits, and ultimately reducing negative impacts. We have been investigating the perceptions and behaviour of dog guardians at four dog parks, two fenced and two unfenced, in Auckland, to help inform appropriate dog park design and development of educational resources for users. We surveyed 100 dog guardians at each park on their use and opinions of the space, and observed a further, separate, 100 dog guardians for time spent in the dog park, play engagement with their dog, and use of leash in the on- and off-leash areas. While guardians typically believed they spent 40-60mins in the dog park, we found that the actual average time was only 24mins. There were common misconceptions as to what space constituted the dog park, although most survey participants were reasonably confident of their knowledge of the boundaries. However, over 50% of guardians had their dogs off leash in the on-leash spaces. As many dog parks are adjacent to reserves, this is a concern for conservation efforts. Furthermore, only just over a quarter of guardians were observed playing with their dog in the off-leash dog parks despite 91% of survey participants claiming they at least sometimes play with their dog. Our results indicate that dog parks are not being used in a way that ensures that dogs are experiencing the potential benefits of these spaces, and unengaging design certainly plays a key role. We are now beginning observations of dog social behaviour in these four parks and will be tracking dog movements to determine how much of each park is utilised.

Lay Persons Message: Off-leash parks are considered important spaces for dogs to exercise and socialise. However, they are often only flat grassy spaces, with little consideration given to design or dog safety. Still, guardians can create positive experiences for dogs by engaging in play and managing appropriate dog interactions. However, guardians spend little time playing with their dogs in off-leash parks. They may be relying on social interactions between dogs to give the park visit a purpose.

The state of cavy welfare in New Zealand and current research of behaviour to provide ‘a good life’

K Cameron, Unitec Te Pukenga, (kcameron@unitec.ac.nz)

Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are touted as an ‘entry-level’ pet and are members of approximately 32,000 households in New Zealand, however, there is no code of welfare for these animals. Owners should provide opportunities for natural behaviour in the housing and husbandry of the animals but there is a lack of consistent guidance in how to assess welfare or ensure their animals experience more than the adequate and have a ‘good life’. This was evidenced in a recent survey, a third of guinea pig owners (n = 329) provided a smaller cage than recommended by the RSPCA (1m2), a third of owners provided daily cleaning (109/329, 33.1%) with indications that not all guinea pigs were provided hay, an important behavioural and nutritional need.

Therefore, this research programme was developed to measure guinea pig behaviour and best-practice welfare and inform baselines for the care and wellbeing of guinea pigs. In Experiment 1, the time to move up an adjustable sloped ramp to obtain food (grass) was measured in four adult guinea pigs. For all animals, the average top gradient was when line-of-sight with the food was impeded by the angle of the ramp. In Experiment 2, a mirror was attached to the top of the ramp to ensure line-of-sight, which resulted in guinea pigs (n = 10) reaching the steeper gradients with the mirror (M = 50.4, SD = 5.5) compared to no mirror (M = 36.3, SD = 7.0; t (9) = 1.41, p = .193). Climbing speed increased at a similar rate as gradient increased with (α = -.063), and without the mirror (α = -.068), however, initial climbing durations (Q0) were lower without the mirror (M = 10.6, SD = 16.8), versus with it (M = 7.8, SD = 6.1) indicating the mirror provided line-of-sight or safety, thus faster acquisition of the task. In Experiment 3, systematic preference assessments were used to determine a rank order of foods for each animal, which was then tested as a reinforcer for ramp climbing. Unanimously, guinea pigs moved faster for most preferred food compared to least preferred. This data shows that ramp climbing is a valid and reliable method for measuring commodities of value to guinea pigs. Further research is planned to use the ramp to measure demand for substrate, enrichment and even conspecifics and expand the lab to measure the effect of housing size and shape on welfare.

Lay Persons Message: Guinea pigs are popular pets in New Zealand, but there is currently no code of welfare for these animals, leading to inconsistent husbandry and management. This initial research provides a method to measure what a guinea pig might value, and what should be provided to them to enhance welfare and provide ‘a good life’. The first series of experiments utilize ramp climbing as a tool for measuring the demand for different commodities.

A good life for companion animals

S.J. Hazel

School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, Roseworthy, South Australia, 5371, AUSTRALIA

susan.hazel@adelaide.edu.au

As a rule of thumb, companion animals have ‘A Good Life’ if they have more positive experiences than negative ones. While we still have a long way to go, we are beginning to better understand our companions and what they need, especially dogs and cats where most research has been focussed. But what factors are associated with positive and negative experiences, and what markers can we use to assess them? Choice and agency is becoming increasingly recognised, particularly in animal training. The emphasis has shifted from preventing distress to enhancing positive emotions. But do they need to be ‘happy’ all the time, and can we even remove all negative experiences? Even more importantly we cannot focus on animals in isolation without considering their interactions with the humans who take care of them.

Assessment of welfare in animals, while not routinely performed, is possible. Models such as the Five Domains can be used as a framework to assess the main inputs affecting welfare (Nutrition, Health, Environment and Behavioural Interactions) which then affect the 5th domain, the Mental State. Although this does not translate into an easy to administer checklist, the Five Domains model can be used to pick up major risks to poor welfare, or to systematically devise options to increase positive experiences. More work is needed though to develop objective measures of positive welfare, and to determine threshold levels or durations of negative experiences we should not go above. Validated scales for companion animal QoL are available and can be useful clinically, or in cross-sectional studies to determine factors associated with high companion animal QoL. However, their main limitation is that they need to be completed by humans, usually the guardian of the animal, and their responses may not reflect the true experience of the animal.

John Webster, who helped develop the Five Freedoms, has stated that our goal should be to align the peoples’ perception of an animal’s welfare with the actual experience of the animal. If people believe that two cats are getting on well in a household and do not recognise the subtle behavioural signs of conflict, they will rate the experience of these cats as being far more positive than it is. If a guardian does not believe their Labrador is overweight despite having a body condition score of 5/5, they will not recognise the negative impacts on welfare. In some ways education into the welfare needs of agricultural species has progressed more than the animals most of us live more closely with.

A focus on the companion animal is important, but we also need to think more holistically. People take care of companion animals, and the One Welfare model demonstrates how the wellbeing of people and pets is inextricably linked. Raising a puppy, while something we usually look back at with fondness, is something that at the time can be linked to high levels of stress, analogous to parental stress when raising human babies. Playing with cats is associated with higher QoL scores in the cats and a stronger cat-human bond. When companion animals age, or develop illnesses, the burden of care felt by their guardian can create both physical and psychological ill health, analogous to caring for family members with significant illness or disability. Anything that negatively impacts people is likely to in turn negatively impact the animals they live with. Veterinary social work is an expanding discipline likely to revolutionise animal care in the future.

We are entering a phase of rapid societal changes that will also impact our companion animals. Dogs are now as likely to sleep in the bedroom as in the backyard, and keeping cats indoors has become a unified message to protect wildlife and their own welfare. Despite, or even because of, these changes we should strive each day to do better science and provide better caregiving to non-human animals. Losing sight of this goal will not only risk the welfare of the animals we live with, but also our own.

Lay person message: A Good Life for companion animals involves more positive than negative experiences. Our understanding of what animals need for positive welfare is expanding, particularly for dogs and cats. A focus not only on the animals but also on human caregivers is needed to maximise welfare for human and non-human animals.

The role of animal welfare certification in providing a good life for companion animals

A. Vaughan1, K. Drake1, and A. Dale1

1Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

alison.vaughan@spca.nz

Attitudes and practices towards companion animals are constantly evolving. Increasingly, many guardians are concerned about providing a Good Life for their companion animals through meeting their needs for social interaction, mental stimulation and physical exercise. In New Zealand, 75% of dog owners consider enrichment - defined as socialisation, toys and outings - very important elements of dog ownership. Emerging companion animal services, such as doggy daycares, have expanded over the last decade in response to this demand.

The companion animal services sector is currently poorly regulated in New Zealand. The current lack of regulation, in combination with rapid growth of this sector, has resulted in negative consequences for animal welfare, including high profile cases of dogs becoming ill, injured, or dying while in the care of companion animal services. The Code for Temporary Housing for Companion Animals (2018) was an important step towards regulation of these industries but does not contain detailed requirements relating to specific companion animal services and relies on reactive reporting of animal welfare concerns. This poses challenges both for animal guardians looking to safeguard their animal’s welfare and businesses who wish to distinguish themselves as prioritising welfare.

In the absence of specific regulations, some animal welfare organisations have developed certification programmes for companion animal businesses. These programmes provide guidelines for those in the industry looking to improve welfare, and provide assurances of the safety and quality of services for guardians.

SPCA Certified® is a voluntary programme that provides an avenue for both farms and companion animal service businesses to show their commitment to animal welfare. SPCA Certified® standards are developed based on SPCA policy, animal welfare science, current legislation, and advice from veterinarians and technical specialists, as well as industry best practice and practical experience of companion animal professionals.

All SPCA Certified® members are independently audited by a third party auditing company (at least twice a year) to ensure they are consistently meeting certification requirements and receiving the support they need to keep improving animal welfare. Joining the programme and becoming SPCA Certified® allows animal guardians to identify certified business as a provider of high-level animal care that meets SPCA Certified® animal welfare standards.

Evidence-based certification programmes, such as SPCA Certified® have an important role to play - alongside robust government standards and proactive industry bodies - in driving improvement in animal welfare in New Zealand

Organisational Behaviour Change – Horse Sentience and use of the 5 Domains

Horses are worthy of care: Insights into horse sector participants’ attitudes towards sentience and animal welfare

J. Fiedler (1), M. Ayre (2), S. Rosanowski (1), J. Slater (1)

(1) Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030.

(2) School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne, Gratton St, Parkville, Victoria 3010

jmfiedler@student.unimelb.edu.au

Organisations for which sentient animals are central to their business model need to demonstrate safeguarding of animal welfare to remain sustainable. Responsiveness to the changing public attitudes towards sentient animals, and demonstrating a commitment to providing a Good Life, is critical to maintaining the social licence to operate. Before policy updates can occur, understanding the attitudes of participants about sentience and welfare is necessary. We surveyed experienced participants in horse-related activities about sentience and welfare. Eligible responses were received from 681 participants: the majority were Australian (91%), female (85%) and over 50 years of age (56%). Most respondents (99.9%) believed horses were sentient. Analysis of open-text responses identified two themes: (1) Sentience is a pathway to understanding mental state and wellbeing; and (2) A moral obligation to consider sentience. Observing that horses reacted to stimuli and responded to their surroundings led respondents to believe that horses were sentient. There was recognition that horse behaviours were a combination of instinctive reactions and more complex emotional states, such as a sense of psychological safety. By referring to behaviours, respondents could infer the horse’s mental state and, from this, develop more a holistic sense of the animal’s welfare and wellbeing. Respondents frequently assigned anthropomorphic labels to horse behaviours which we interpreted as facilitating a means of connecting with the sentient horse (Theme 1). A moral obligation was believed to exist towards horses because humans manage their environment and interactions with them. These obligations were perceived as responsibilities, including the responsibility to consider sentience when deciding what is good welfare, when interacting with horses and when training and competing with horses (Theme 2). The results showed a sophisticated understanding of sentience existed among experienced horse sector participants, who recognised the sentient horse as a subject, worthy of care. The results provide the first insights into attitudes towards, and understanding of, sentience and animal welfare by experienced horse sector participants. The results will make a valuable contribution to updating current welfare-related policies and practices. We propose that implementing the Five Domains Model and a Good Life for horses in organisational contexts is achievable because of the tacit knowledge of sentience possessed by experienced horse sector participants. Leveraging this knowledge will be essential to the implementation and updating of policy. Future research is needed to define and describe sentience-informed practices for organised activities such as equestrian sports and racing.

Lay Persons Message: Layperson message: Understanding experienced horse sector participants’ attitudes to sentience and welfare is essential before updating current welfare policies to incorporate the Five Domains model, mental state and a Good Life. We surveyed 681 participants and found that 99.9% believed horses were sentient. They recognised that sentience is a pathway to understanding mental state and that a moral obligation existed to consider sentience. Horses were recognised as worthy of care

‘Pet-keeping may have no place in tomorrow’s society?’

H. Beattie, Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa (info@vawa.co.nz)

A Panel Discussion to explore whether pet-keeping has a future.

Panel Participants (drawn from plenary and invited speakers):

Questions will include:

• Is pet-keeping at risk of losing its social licence (public acceptance)?

• What are the ongoing challenges for pet guardians in relation to a changing world

• What (if anything) needs to be addressed to ensure that we continue to have pets in our society?

Professor Nat Waran.