Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"Influences of environmental hatching system factors on multitasking ability and side biases in laying hen chicks hatched on-farm","authors":"Catharina M.H. Broekmeulen ,&nbsp;Sabine G. Gebhardt-Henrich ,&nbsp;Yamenah Gómez ,&nbsp;Michael J. Toscano","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106709","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106709","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an alternative to conventional hatcheries, eggs can be placed in a rearing barn on day 18 of incubation (ED18; embryonic development) to hatch on-farm, which eliminates the need of transportation of day-old chicks. In addition, on-farm hatched chicks are exposed to continuous light during late incubation, and have immediate access to feed, water, and litter, which might affect developmental processes. On-farm hatching is currently not commercially implemented in the laying hen sector. However, advancements in <em>in ovo</em> sexing technologies are expected to enable its future adoption. Building on this context, this exploratory study aimed to examine influences of these environmental hatching system factors on the behavioral development, with focus on multitasking abilities and lateralized behavior in layer chicks until eight weeks of age. Hatching eggs (n = 600) were assigned to one of the following treatments from ED18 - ED21 (3 pens/treatment): fully enriched with all factors (ALL), continuous light (L), immediate feed and water access post-hatch (FW), immediate litter access post-hatch (LIT), or fully deprived of all factors (CON). Seventy-five focal chicks (n = 5/pen) were subjected to three behavioral tests: multitasking test at nine days of age, retention test at ten days of age, and step detour test at five and seven weeks of age. Most focal chicks did not meet the multitasking test and retention test criteria, as they did not complete the assigned tasks. Potentially, isolation stress could have overwhelmed the ability of focal chicks to perform during these tests despite habituation. During the step detour test, foot preferences to cross the step and direction preferences to detour the barrier were both affected by week of age (p = 0.06 and p = 0.04, respectively) but not by treatment, with focal chicks showing more preferences at seven than five weeks of age. The lateralized responses during the step detour test involve both motor and visual cognitive aspects. Therefore, visual assessment and motivation to approach the social stimulus might have affected the responses. Additionally, corticosterone secretion in response to chick processing and <em>in-ovo</em> transportation at ED18 might have affected visual lateralization. Our study underlines the dynamic nature and multidimensionality of lateralized behavior in chicks. Currently, it is unclear how the transportation of eggs at ED18 interacted with the hatching system factors during our study and more research is needed to investigate underlying mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 106709"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shelter use in horses: Time spent indoors and factors of variation – Results from a one-year longitudinal study","authors":"Léa Lansade ,&nbsp;Julie Lemarchand ,&nbsp;Alice Ruet","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106699","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106699","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stabling is a common lifestyle for horses, yet numerous studies show that it negatively impacts their welfare, leading to behavioural and health issues. In this study, we aimed to determine how much time horses choose to spend inside their stalls when given the option to be inside (in shelters/stalls) or outside at pasture. Using permanently installed night-vision cameras inside the stalls, we recorded 53 horses across 20 sites in temperate climates (France, Belgium) over a full year. We analyzed their stall presence and activity (lying down, observe, stand at rest, eat, etc.) for 72 consecutive hours each month over 12 months. The results show that, on average, horses spend only 3 h per day inside, and not consecutively (entering 2.5 times per day). There is a strong seasonal effect: horses spend twice as much time in their stalls in summer than in winter. This finding is notable as it contrasts with the usual advice of stabling horses in winter and turning them out to pasture in summer. In winter, horses predominantly return to their stalls late at night (00:00–06:00) to eat and lie down, while in summer, they return in the afternoon (12:00–18:00) to rest standing. Contrary to expectations, presumably rustic breeds (ponies) spent more time inside, and age had no effect on this, indicating that stalls are essential for all types of horses. Additionally, the larger the shelter (in sq m per horse), the more it is used. Stalls fully enclosed with a single access door are also associated with higher usage in summer, winter, and autumn, compared to an open shelter. The use of blankets in winter or fly masks in summer is not associated with a reduction of the time spent in the stalls, suggesting that these accessories do not substitute for shelter. There is also significant inter-individual variability among horses: the ideal is to allow them the freedom to come and go as they please in order to best respect their agency and individual needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 106699"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144263326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poor welfare indicators may be associated with performance limitations in racehorses","authors":"Noémie Hennes ,&nbsp;Alice Ruet ,&nbsp;Romane Phelipon ,&nbsp;Arnaud Duluard ,&nbsp;Hélène Bourguignon ,&nbsp;Léa Lansade","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106697","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106697","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Welfare is defined as the state of an animal, which includes both its emotional and physical condition. Monitoring it for racehorses is of fundamental importance to prevent poor welfare, which is deleterious to the animal's integrity but might also affect performance. This study aims to evaluate the welfare of French racehorses, and to explore potential links between compromised welfare and race placing. 52 trotters and 32 gallopers were evaluated for welfare using the AWIN horse protocol with behavioural observations using the scan sampling method in order to detect abnormal behaviours (stereotypies, alert posture, inactivity or other abnormal behaviours). The horses' race placing was also recorded for a six-month period around the study (percentage of races in which the horse finished in the top three, in the top five or in which it was disqualified (trotters)). Linear models were constructed to identify significant horse-centred welfare indicators affecting race placing. Results demonstrated a discrepancy in the welfare indicators evaluated in the two populations of horses, especially for environmental indicators that indicate a more restrictive management in gallopers than trotters in terms of social interactions and frequency of free exercise. Furthermore, the study identified risk variables associated with racehorses' welfare, including mouth corner lesions, which were observed in 23.1 % of trotters and 18.8 % of gallopers. Additionally, 40.4 % of trotters and 25.0 % of gallopers exhibited limb skin lesions. The prevalence of these four abnormal behaviours was observed across both groups, with percentage observations ranging from 0.3 % to 3.5 % across the scans. The results also identified a negative relationship between inactivity and finishing positions in trotters for the three race placing indicators (linear models; p &lt; 0.05), emphasising the importance of this behaviour in evaluating their welfare and finishing positions. No such correlation was observed in gallop horses. Further research is needed to explore the complex relationships between welfare, including concepts like positive mental states and enjoyment, and racehorses’ race placings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 106697"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of choice on horse behaviour, heart rate and heart rate variability during human-horse touch interactions","authors":"Amir Sarrafchi ,&nbsp;Elodie Lassallette ,&nbsp;Katrina Merkies","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106698","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106698","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Touch interaction between humans and horses is a feature common to almost all equine-assisted services (EAS) although less is known about how horses perceive this tactile stimulation during human-horse interactions. The current study assessed the effect of three types of touching (patting, stroking, scratching) on three anatomical body locations (neck/shoulder, body, hindquarter) of therapy horses (N = 10) on horse behaviour, heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) under forced and free-choice touch treatments. Human participants (25 experienced and 24 less experienced with horses) each interacted individually with four horses in both treatment conditions while in a familiar round pen. During the forced touch treatment, the horse was tethered for the duration of the test (4.5 min) and the participant was instructed to touch each body location with each type of touch, switching every 30 s. During the free-choice touch treatment, the horse was loose in the pen and the participant, standing in the centre, was instructed to touch the horse only if the horse came within arm’s reach. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model with repeated measures examined the effect of treatments, touch type, location and human experience with horses on horse behaviours, HR and HRV. Oral behaviours, restlessness and tail swishing were more frequent, while head shaking behaviour was less frequent during forced than free-choice touch treatments (all p &lt; .0206). Tail swishing was less frequent when touching the hindquarters in comparison to touching the neck/shoulder and body (p &lt; .0001). Free-choice touch treatments resulted in lower odds of high (OR = 0.10, 95 % CI (0.05, 0.20)) and even (OR = 0.04, 95 % CI (0.03, 0.06)) head positions and higher odds of low head positions (OR = 9.75, 95 % CI (7.84, 12.12)) compared to forced touch treatments. Horses were less likely to keep their ears oriented toward the participant during free-choice touch than forced touch treatments (OR = 0.19, 95 % (0.15, 0.23)). Horse HR was higher during free-choice touch compared to forced touch treatments (p = .0007). Horse HRV was lower during interaction with experienced than with less experienced participants (p = .0293). The results demonstrated that forced touch treatments were not perceived positively by therapy horses highlighting the importance of providing choice and agency for therapy horses during EAS. The findings could be reflected in the guidelines of therapy horse organizations to minimize human risk of injury and ensure a good life for horses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 106698"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavior and safety in the use of canopy bridges by howler monkeys in an experimental environment","authors":"Patrícia Dias ,&nbsp;Fernanda Zimmermann Teixeira ,&nbsp;Victor Hugo Campos Ferrugem ,&nbsp;Itatiele Farias Vivian ,&nbsp;Márcia Maria de Assis Jardim","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban sprawl advances over forested areas and threatens arboreal species, which often use roads, power lines, and rooftops to move, resulting in roadkill, electrocution, and dog attacks. One measure to mitigate these risks is the installation of canopy bridges, which connect vegetation fragments and provide safe passages for animals. This study evaluated the use of three canopy bridge designs by brown howler monkeys (<em>Alouatta guariba</em>) and black-and-gold howler monkeys (<em>Alouatta caraya</em>) in captivity at the Sapucaia do Sul Zoo. The designs included a ladder rope bridge with PVC pipes, a fire hose bridge, and a braided rope bridge. We recorded primate behavior in relation to the canopy bridges using scan sampling, focal sampling, and <em>ad libitum</em> observations. After 30 days of observation, 270 hours of primate behavior were recorded, with 8.58 % of these behaviors related to bridge use, totaling 476 complete crossings. The analysis revealed that howler monkeys used the bridges primarily for locomotion and play. The type of activity was associated with bridge design for brown howler monkeys, as they used the ladder bridge more for feeding and the fire hose bridge for resting. In contrast, black-and-gold howler monkeys did not exhibit such an association but preferred the braided rope bridge and the fire hose bridge. Both species demonstrated good adaptation to the bridges, using a quadrupedal posture for locomotion, maintaining a good balance and making few missteps. Crossing time did not vary much between bridge designs for either species, but there was a trend of increasing speed over time. Our results indicate that all bridge designs were used by howler monkeys, demonstrating good adaptation and safety. The bridges proved to be valuable tools for both environmental enrichment and facilitating howler monkey locomotion in captivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 106696"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144223333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validation of the Hungarian dog-owner relationship scale","authors":"Hajnalka Eszter Selmeci,&nbsp;Krisztina Kovács,&nbsp;Noémi Gyömbér","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The dog-owner relationship has been in the centre of attention in the past couple of years. It has been found that pet dogs play important roles in their owners’ lives, sometimes are even seen as children. Characteristics of the dog-owner relationship have also been studied: the C/DORS questionnaire was specifically developed to measure these aspects. The aim of our study was to translate the DORS questionnaire to Hungarian and to test its validity and reliability.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We assessed the responses of 715 Hungarian dog owners. Respondents had to fill in the C/DORS and the DD-PSDQ questionnaires, as well as answer demographic questions about themselves and activities they do with their dogs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed the same three-factor structure as the original English version, the factors being Perceived Emotional Closeness (PEC), Pet-Owner Interaction (POI) and Perceived Costs (PC). Due to cross-loadings a large number of items had to be removed so the final Hungarian version consists of 17 items. The internal consistency values (Cronbach α) were good for all three scales. Correlations between the scales of the DORS and DD-PSDQ scales revealed that the parenting style the owners prefer correlates with the quality of the relationship between a dog and its owners: owners who prefer the authoritative parenting style to the authoritarian have closer relationships with their dogs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In conclusion, the Hungarian DORS was found to be valid and reliable scale to measure the components of dog-owner relationship. However, further research is needed to determine the characteristics of interaction of Hungarian dog owners and their dogs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 106695"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144196441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elastic motivation for circuit running behaviour in captive African striped mice Rhabdomys dilectus: A consumer demand approach","authors":"Kirsty-Jane Hartman,&nbsp;Sneha Joshi,&nbsp;Neville Pillay","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Captive environments often result in repetitive locomotor behaviours in animals, yet the motivation for these behaviours remains poorly understood. We investigated whether circuit running in African striped mice <em>Rhabdomys dilectus</em> represents a necessary coping mechanism or a flexible, cost-sensitive behaviour, which we tested using a consumer demand framework. Twenty mice displaying circuit running were individually housed in cages that limited this behaviour. Mice accessed a test chamber by travelling through a short (low-cost, Lc) or long (high-cost, Hc) connecting pipe, with the incentive value manipulated to create either a large (high, Hi) or small (low, Li) space, creating four treatments: LcHi, LcLi, HcHi, and HcLi. Mice displayed a higher proportion of circuit running in treatments with greater incentives (LcHi, HcHi) compared to those with restricted space (LcLi, HcLi), and the duration spent in the test chamber followed a graded pattern (LcHi &gt; LcLi &gt; HcHi &gt; HcLi). Demand was classified as elastic or inelastic based on changes in behaviour relative to cost. Circuit running decreased as costs increased, indicating an elastic demand. Our findings indicate that circuit running in <em>R. dilectus</em> is flexible rather than fixed, challenging the interpretations of repetitive behaviour as an inflexible coping response. Our study also demonstrates the value of economic models for assessing behavioural motivation in captivity and suggest that repetitive locomotor behaviours may serve adaptive, facultative functions under constrained conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 106693"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144213056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of light colour and intensity on stress responses in the Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)","authors":"Charline Pichon ,&nbsp;Pierrick Kersante ,&nbsp;Guillaume Le Reste ,&nbsp;Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq ,&nbsp;Christelle Jozet-Alves","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stress is a natural defence mechanism that can negatively impact the outcome of experiments and increase interindividual variability. Among environmental parameters, light colour and intensity are known to impact stress responses in numerous species. The Pacific white shrimp <em>Penaeus vannamei</em> is one of the most bred shrimp species worldwide, although knowledge about the environmental factors influencing its feeding behaviour is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine which light colour and intensity induce less stress responses and promote feeding behaviour of <em>P. vannamei</em> shrimp. In a first experiment, we analysed the stress responses of shrimp to purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red lights of 83 Lux. We found that orange and red lights induced fewer stress responses, especially fewer number of loops. In a separate experiment, we found that infrared light lowered the thigmotaxis level in comparison with white and red lights. Finally, we analysed the stress responses and feeding behaviour of shrimp to orange light at intensities of 17, 64, 170 and 430 Lux. We found no effect of orange light intensity on stress responses and feeding behaviour. These findings suggest that orange light can be used in behavioural experiments for <em>P. vannamei</em>, even at high intensity, as it will not stress the animals while ensuring good visibility for the observer (in comparison with infrared light). Optimising testing conditions in <em>P. vannamei</em>’s behavioural experiments is the starting point for reducing interindividual variability and ensuring more reliable interpretation of their behaviour.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 106694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144196443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Daddy matters: Exploring the effects of stallion presence on foal behaviour","authors":"Kateřina Šandlová ,&nbsp;Francisco Ceacero ,&nbsp;Martina Komárková","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stallions are an integral part of horse bands in nature, affecting the behaviour of other group members, mares and foals. Previous research shows that the stallion may be an important model, especially for young colts. However, in domestic conditions, the stallions' role is significantly reduced. In this long-term study, we explored the effect of stallions' presence on foal behaviour across different social situations. Two groups of semi-feral Exmoor ponies (n = 68) were studied in a four-year period (748 hours), each in three stages, with or without the stallion and subadult horses. Overall behavioural differences (friendly, agonistic, play, snapping) among the three social groups were detected (χ²=168.976, p &lt; 0.001). A remarkable behavioural switch was revealed in the social interactions of fillies. In the absence of a stallion, their behavioural patterns shifted significantly, with a notable increase in social interactions with females (fillies and mares), occurring twice as often as interactions with the remaining males (colts and subadults). This trend was evident in the category of social play. We propose that the stallion can act as an important model and facilitator of sex-specific behaviour in both male and female foals. His absence in domestic herds may impact the developmental trajectory of the offspring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 106683"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144196442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioral differences of shelter dogs under fluorescent versus LED lighting","authors":"Jennifer Abrams ,&nbsp;Kristiina Wilson ,&nbsp;Janice Hegewald ,&nbsp;Christopher Braun ,&nbsp;Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fluorescent lighting is used in a wide variety of applications, most commonly because of its energy and heat saving capabilities. However, the flicker that accompanies fluorescent light can negatively impact humans and animals. Detrimental behavioral and physiological consequences have been observed in animals housed under fluorescent lighting. One animal population that is likely to be sensitive to the flicker, and often housed under fluorescent lighting, is shelter dogs. To date, no peer-reviewed research has examined the direct impact of fluorescent lighting on shelter dog behavior. Our aim was to evaluate in-kennel behavior using a two-room concurrent approach in which 54 shelter dogs were housed under either fluorescent (n = 20) or flicker free light-emitting diode (LED) lighting (n = 34). Dogs housed in the fluorescent room were more likely to be at the front of the kennel (odds ratio [OR] 2.56, 95 % CI 1.49–4.40), standing (OR 2.32, CI 1.52–3.53), barking (OR 4.68, CI 2.52–8.67), and lip licking (OR 1.71, CI 1.03–2.83) while those in the LED room were more likely to be at the back of the kennel (OR 0.42, CI 0.29–0.61), facing backward (OR 0.44, CI 0.28–0.69), lying down (OR 0.38, CI 0.25–0.56), and on their beds (OR 0.6, CI 0.39–0.95). Overall, investigation of differences in behavior between the two lighting conditions hints at a relationship between more active behaviors observed in dogs when housed under fluorescent and less active behaviors when housed under LED lighting. These results highlight the need for additional research assessing the effects that seemingly imperceptible light flickering may have on this vulnerable population, to further our understanding of ways to reduce environmental stress in a kennel setting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 106692"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144178262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}