Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"The influence of equine personality on police horse selection","authors":"Kiana McDole ,&nbsp;Katrina Merkies","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In active police work, horses are primarily used to monitor urban environments and perform specialized responsibilities such as riot and crowd control. The process of selecting horses for police work requires consideration of both the physical and emotional qualities of the horse, as personality traits contribute to a horse’s ability to learn, work and interact with humans. Personality encompasses four personality dimensions – Extroversion, Neuroticism, Gregariousness and Agreeableness – exemplified by positive and negative personality traits in each dimension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mounted police horse personality traits. Using 129 responses from a 16-item online survey, this study examined the personality traits and roles of current mounts, traits considered important for police horses and dealbreaker traits for future potential police horses. Using descriptive and Chi-squared analyses with two-tailed Fischer’s Exact Tests, results showed that current police horses possess the same four personality dimensions that are considered important for police work – Positive Gregariousness, Positive Extroversion, Positive Agreeableness and Negative Neuroticism. Most current mounts did not present with any of the top five dealbreaker traits (Aggressive, Fearful, Uncooperative, Nervous and Unreliable, p &gt; 0.30). Current mounts typically possessed the traits considered important (Confident, Trusting, Willing and Reliable, p &gt; 0.17), but Calm appeared less frequently in current mounts than anticipated (p = 0.0229). Mount primary role impacted what respondents felt were dealbreaker traits, with Fearful more undesirable in horses working in Neighbourhood Patrol and Park or Wilderness Patrol than the other roles (p &lt; 0.05). However, traits considered important were consistent regardless of mount primary role (p &gt; 0.06). Breed and sex did not appear to influence traits present in current mounts, with the exceptions of draft crosses being reported as less approachable than other breeds (p = 0.0266) and geldings being bolder than mares (p = 0.0127). These findings provide a greater understanding of what mounted police officers value in their mounts and will assist in the development of police horse testing protocols, potentially improving the success of future police horse candidate selection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106923"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034528","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":"Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens","authors":"Javiera Calderón-Amor ,&nbsp;Benjamin Lecorps ,&nbsp;Daniela Luna ,&nbsp;Mauricio Soto-Gamboa ,&nbsp;Francisca Ovando ,&nbsp;Enzo Ruiz ,&nbsp;María Jesús Montero ,&nbsp;Tamara Tadich","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106908","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106908","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Depression is one of the most common and impairing mental health disorders in humans. Captive animals may also experience depression-like states, particularly under restrictive housing conditions and in individuals with higher vulnerability to stressors (e.g. more fearful). This study investigated whether transferring laying hens (<em>n</em> = 60) from a cage-free environment to conventional battery cages led animals to display two core symptoms of clinical depression: anhedonia and low mood during the first two weeks post-transfer. Personality was included as a potential moderator of affective responses. Additionally, expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), an immunological marker often elevated in clinical depression in humans and animal models, was quantified. Anhedonia was assessed using a palatable food consumption test (sweetcorn) conducted for 5 days before and 5 days after transfer. Low mood was assessed through an attention bias test. Personality was evaluated using four behavioral assays (open field, novel object, stationary human, and tonic immobility tests). A composite Affective Index was also calculated by integrating the behavioral measures of anhedonia and low mood into a single outcome variable. TNF-α expression was measured at baseline (pre-transfer) and 80 days post-transfer. Battery-caged hens exhibited behavioral indicators consistent with depression-like states during the first two weeks after transfer, including reduced sweetcorn intake and increased attention to threat, particularly among more fearful individuals. The Affective Index corroborated that battery-housed hens experienced more negative affective states overall, with fearful individuals being especially vulnerable. Contrary to predictions, TNF-α expression decreased in caged hens 80 days post-transfer, possibly reflecting immunosuppression due to chronic stress. These findings highlight that conventional rearing systems used in egg production can trigger depression-like states in these animals. These results support the need to critically review housing conditions in commercial production systems and to promote management strategies that minimize suffering, especially in vulnerable individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106908"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882277","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 future of cat-human companionship","authors":"Dennis C. Turner","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106922","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106922","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There are a number of conflicting interests potentially affecting the future of cat-human companionship, most importantly housing regulations - including restrictions on presence and outdoor access for the cats, conservation of wildlife and biodiversity, and personal and public health. In this text I have attempted a fair appraisal of the arguments on each issue and suggest potential solutions. Depending on how open each side of a potential conflict is to the factual arguments and suggested solutions, I view the future of cat-human companionship positively or negatively. Further, there are a number of new research areas which, if pursued, will help us better understand cat behaviour and the cat-human relationship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106922"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034526","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":"A four-trial home-based food quantity discrimination task for companion dogs: Hierarchical Bayesian analysis and applied assessment","authors":"Heloisa de Araujo Batista Carneiro,&nbsp;Ana Eni da Silva Franco,&nbsp;Bryan Kalel Araujo Lima,&nbsp;Antonio Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106904","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Domestic dogs are widely used in cognition research, including quantity discrimination, yet performance in brief, low-burden, home-based tasks remains poorly documented. Such minimally controlled settings are increasingly relevant for welfare and clinical assessment. It is also unclear whether simple morphological proxies can account for individual variability in these contexts.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We evaluated whether companion dogs can discriminate food quantity ratios (1 vs. 4, 1 vs. 6, 1 vs. 8) under a four-trial protocol suitable for home and field environments, and whether a simple cranial proxy — the head-to-weight index — predicts accuracy beyond ratio difficulty. We further assessed whether a hierarchical Bayesian model can extract informative individual-level estimates from sparse data.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Twenty-nine dogs each completed four trials of a two-choice task involving a single ratio, tested in owners’ homes or comparable low-distraction areas. Choices were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression with dog-level random intercepts. A separate model comparison contrasted a null model with a monotonic ordered-ratio model using WAIC and LOO-CV.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Dogs performed above chance at the group level. The ratio effect was weak and directionally consistent with reduced accuracy at more difficult ratios (posterior mean &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;β&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;ratio&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;92&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, 95% HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;31&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;44&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;). The head-to-weight index showed no credible association with performance (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;β&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;HWI&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;08&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;37&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;54&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;). Inter-individual variability was substantial (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;σ&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;dog&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;42&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0004&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;98&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;): 14 of 29 dogs showed a high posterior probability of performing above chance (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;P&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;(&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;p&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;j&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;&gt;&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;5&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;≥&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;9&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;), while the remainder fell in intermediate ranges. Latency measures were not reliably related to accuracy. Posterior predictive checks indicated good model f","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106904"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145845673","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":"Effect of early litter access on plumage and fearfulness in commercial laying hen pullets","authors":"G. Vasdal ,&nbsp;K.E. Kittelsen ,&nbsp;A.M. Janczak ,&nbsp;R.O. Moe ,&nbsp;T.B. Rodenburg ,&nbsp;S.G. Gebhardt-Henrich ,&nbsp;A.B. Riber ,&nbsp;F.M. Tahamtani","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Providing access to fresh and dry litter, in addition to chick paper from day 1 of rearing may improve plumage and reduce fear responses in pullets due to stimulation of more positive and natural pecking behaviour. However, few studies have examined this relationship in commercial rearing flocks. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of early access to fresh litter and chick paper on fear responses and plumage quality during the rearing period. Eight commercial pullet flocks (Lohman LSL Lite n = 6 and Dekalb White n = 2) were divided in two treatments; Litter; birds with access to chick paper and cardboard trays with litter from day 0–21 and Control; birds with access to chick paper from day 0 – 21. Each flock was visited at weeks 2, 7 and 14 of age. Data collection included scoring plumage condition using two methods, (1) a whole flock assessment using transect walk with indicators on a binary scale and (2) detailed individual scoring of 30 birds/treatment/age, in addition to two behavioural tests of fear-related behaviour, (1) Novel Object (NO) test at weeks 2, 7 and 14 and (2) Stationary person (SP) test at weeks 7 and 14. Providing fresh litter during the first three weeks of life reduced fear response towards a NO, with more Litter birds approaching the NO compared to the Control group (P &lt; 0.05). There was a significant effect of age (P &lt; 0.0001), with more birds approaching the NO at 7 and 14 weeks of age compared to week 2 of age (P &lt; 0.0001 and P = 0.0003, respectively). Litter access had no effect on fear towards a SP at week 7 or 14, but more birds approached the SP at 14 weeks compared to at 7 weeks (P &lt; 0.006). Furthermore, litter provision did not influence plumage quality or other health parameters at any age. Slight wear to tail feathers was detected in 65 out of 1440 birds during the individual scoring. When assessing welfare and plumage in healthy flocks with minimal welfare issues, detailed scoring of individual birds appears to be necessary, in addition to the whole flock assessment using the transect walk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106929"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074263","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":"Identification of facial expressions in response to rewarding stimuli in dogs","authors":"Yasushi Kiyokawa ,&nbsp;Kento Kawakita ,&nbsp;Yukihiro Miwa ,&nbsp;Ryoko Yamada ,&nbsp;Yoshitaka Kobayashi","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106921","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106921","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The morphological features of facial musculature enable mammals to produce facial expressions as part of their responses to various stimuli. Dogs are among the most suitable animals for analyzing facial expressions due to their expressiveness, ease of recording, and social and veterinary importance. In the present study, we aimed to identify dogs’ facial expressions in response to rewarding stimuli. Owners of the pet dog subjects recorded the subjects’ facial expressions under three conditions at home. In the food and non-food conditions, the subjects were given a sit-and-stay command and then presented with either their preferred food or non-food stimulus, respectively. In the control condition, the subjects were given the same command, but no stimulus followed. Their facial expressions were coded using DogFACS. We found that both the male and female subjects showed increased AU25 (lips part), AU26 (jaw drop), AD19 (tongue show), and EAD102 (ears adductor) in both the food and non-food conditions, suggesting that dogs show these action units in response to rewarding stimuli. We also found sex differences in facial action unit changes. Specifically, the male subjects additionally showed increased AU109 + 110 (nose wrinkle &amp; upper lip raiser), AU116 (lower lip depressor), AD37 (lip wipe), and AD137 (nose lick) in both conditions. In addition, while the male subjects consistently showed the changes throughout the test period, changes in the female subjects were primarily observed during the first half of the test. Taken together, the present study provides insights into how rewarding stimuli influence dogs’ facial expressions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106921"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922500","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 scentwork and traditional training classes on dog welfare, behavior, and human-dog bond","authors":"Sky Sobol ,&nbsp;Seana Dowling-Guyer","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When hoping to improve their dogs’ behavior, owners often turn to basic obedience/manners courses. Scentwork classes, where dogs use their noses to find treats and odors, could be a potential alternative to these classes, because scentwork-based classes allow dogs to engage in the natural behavior of sniffing. The goal of this experimental study was to determine whether scentwork classes have a more positive impact on dog welfare, behavior, and the human-dog bond than basic obedience classes. Dogs and owners were randomly assigned to four-week long obedience or scentwork classes. Owners completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS), and dogs participated in a judgment bias test before and after their assigned class. There were no significant differences between the groups in C-BARQ or MDORS scores on any scales nor was there a significant difference on the judgment bias test by group. Owners in the total sample and in the Obedience group reported a significant increase in trainability for their dogs, as measured by C-BARQ, from pre- to post-measures whereas owners in the Scentwork group reported a significant increase in C-BARQ hyperactivity for their dogs. Judgment bias test scores improved significantly for the total sample and the Obedience group. There was a significant association between training class and the owners’ perception of their dogs’ quality of life such that owners with dogs in the scentwork classes reported their dogs’ quality of life had improved. These findings suggest that positive training in general might increase positive judgement bias and thus the welfare of dogs, although obedience classes might have more general improvements for training. Although more research is needed to further explore specific potential benefits of scentwork training, the results of this study suggest that dogs participating in scentwork classes are likely to enjoy similar benefits as dogs in other positive reinforcement group courses, giving owners more options for classes based on their individual dogs’ needs and interests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106924"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034527","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":"Rats can be re-used across behavioural experiments: Implications for the 3Rs principle of ‘Reduction’","authors":"Justine Fam ,&nbsp;Lily Peng ,&nbsp;Michael D. Kendig","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>National animal ethics policies and institutional guidelines require animal research to align with the ‘3Rs’ principles of replacement, reduction and refinement. Re-using animals across experiments is one cost-effective method of reducing animal use that is particularly viable for behavioural experiments, which tend to be lower in impact. However, there has been little research assessing whether learning and memory are altered in re-used rats with prior experience in behavioural tests. This study assessed whether previous exposure to Pavlovian conditioning or object recognition memory tests altered subsequent learning and memory in adult Long-Evans rats. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that relative to naïve controls, rats with previous exposure to fear conditioning did not differ in object recognition memory, and <em>vice versa</em>. Experiments 3 and 4 found that rats with previous exposure to appetitive conditioning of a tone-food association showed increased conditioned fear to a tone, relative to naïve controls, and <em>vice versa</em>. Experiment 5 found that in rats with previous exposure to fear conditioning, appetitive conditioning was enhanced when using a different auditory cue, and unaffected by extinction of the fear cue. Conversely, Experiment 6 found that in rats with previous exposure to appetitive conditioning, fear conditioning was not affected by extinction of the appetitive cue nor by use of a different cue. Finally, a pooled analysis indicated that the variance and stability of fear conditioning data were comparable in re-used and naïve animals. Results support the viability of animal re-use across behavioural experiments, but demonstrate that substituting a new stimulus alters future learning in distinct ways for appetitive and aversive tasks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106928"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034529","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":"Program animal welfare: A scoping review of animal interaction programs and their welfare impact on zoo-housed animals","authors":"Bridget Cooper-Rogers ,&nbsp;Paige Klingner ,&nbsp;Alex Whittaker ,&nbsp;Rebecca Forder ,&nbsp;Eduardo J. Fernandez","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animal Interaction Programs (AIPs) have become standard practice within zoos worldwide, however, there is a severe lack of empirical data on how these programs impact animal welfare. AIPs are operationally defined as a planned interaction between a visitor and an animal for educational and entertainment purposes and can be described as a type of Animal-Visitor Interaction (AVI), and can be classified as either direct or indirect and scripted or unscripted. Although these programs are prominent within zoos, there is currently not a comprehensive synthesis of current welfare literature that examines the welfare impact, taxonomic distribution, type, and prevalence of AIPs. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesise welfare-related AIP literature to determine what is known about the welfare implications, identify key gaps and focus areas for future research, and to compare the prevalence, type, and species involved in AIPs within literature to see if it is reflected within zoos. Using the PRISMA-ScR framework, the review was conducted across three databases. A total of 49 articles were included within the review. Direct scripted AIPs were the most prominently investigated (43 %). Walk-through programs were the most investigated type of AIP (23 %). There was a bias towards mammalian species (82 %), with less of a focus on avians (10 %), reptiles (4 %) or other taxa (4 %). This was not reflective of the types of AIPs and species represented in current programs offered in zoos, highlighting a crucial need to diversifying the species investigated within literature as well as investigating programs that are more commonly offered within zoos. Behavioural measures of welfare were the most utilised (70 %), with activity budgets being the most prominent. Generally, neutral or no changes in welfare were described (46 %), followed by positive (28 %), and negative (26 %) welfare impacts, however, welfare outcomes were generally mixed. There is a clear disparity between the types of programs and species represented in AIPs within literature compared to those offered in zoos as well as no clear welfare outcomes or factors that may be influencing these changes. This highlights a lack of understanding on the welfare impacts that these programs have and the factors that may be influencing them. It is critical to address this in future research to better understand the welfare impacts that AIPs have on animal welfare so that these programs can be evaluated and adjusted based on evidence rather than current practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106919"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973176","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":"Behavioural and faecal cortisol metabolite monitoring of harbour (Phoca vitulina) and grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) in rehabilitation centres","authors":"Michal Zatrak ,&nbsp;Kirsty J. Shaw ,&nbsp;Matthew Geary ,&nbsp;Richard Ilderton ,&nbsp;Robyn A. Grant","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106910","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106910","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Harbour (<em>Phoca vitulina)</em> and grey (<em>Halichoerus grypus</em>) seals face numerous anthropogenic and environmental threats around the UK and Ireland. These commonly lead to seal pups becoming stranded and in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Although rehabilitation supports the recovery and welfare of stranded seals, the process can expose individuals to a range of stressors, such as handling, intensive medical treatments, assisted feeding and confinement. Effective methods for assessing seal health and welfare in response to these challenges remain limited. This study investigated whether faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) and behavioural indicators can effectively monitor welfare in rehabilitating harbour and grey seal pups. A total of 479 faecal samples were collected from 19 seal pups (Harbour n = 8, Grey n = 11), and 3864 h of footage was collected for 25 seal pups (Harbour n = 11, Grey n = 14), all rehabilitated at Tynemouth Seal Hospital (North Tyneside, UK). The effect of sex, time of day, feeding method, water access, body condition, and day of rehabilitation on both FCM concentrations and behavioural time budgets was investigated. Changes in FCM levels did not correspond to any of the predictor variables and highlights the complexity of interpreting FCMs in rehabilitation settings, likely reflecting individual variation, allostatic load, and limited sensitivity to short-term stressors. In contrast, seal pup behaviour was significantly affected by rehabilitation variables, including feeding method and access to water. Although assisted feeding is essential for the survival of malnourished pups, it caused decreased displays of vigilance in both species, and a decrease in tactile and locomotion behaviours with an increase in stereotypic behaviours in grey seals. This warrants enrichment plans to be incorporated into the care of these seal pups to counteract any negative impacts on their welfare. Similarly, water access for swimming should be provided as soon as possible to ensure that the sufficient development of natural locomotory and tactile behaviours is facilitated. Overall, these results could be used to optimise behavioural welfare assessments and the rehabilitation protocols currently in place for both harbour and grey seal pups, improving seal pup welfare in captive settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106910"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922600","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}