Rescue Shelter Research Articles

Paw Gaurdian – A Pet Adoption App

Abstract: PawGuardian is a pioneering mobile application designed to revolutionize the dog adoption process, fostering responsible pet ownership and addressing the challenges of pet overpopulation and homelessness. This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of PawGuardian, exploring its objectives, features, impact on dog adoption rates, and implications for animal welfare. By leveraging technology to connect potential adopters with rescue organizations and shelters, PawGuardian streamlines the adoption journey, enhances transparency, and promotes informed decision-making. Through a user-friendly interface and innovative functionalities, PawGuardian aims to create meaningful connections between adopters and dogs while prioritizing the welfare of animals. Keywords: PawGaurdian, Dog adoption, Mobile application, Responsible pet ownership, Pet overpopulation, Homelessness, Technology, Rescue organizations, Shelters, Transparency.

The effect of Pet Remedy on feline stress-related behaviours in a rescue centre

Cats are commonly chosen as companion animals, however, for numerous reasons, many end up in rescue shelters awaiting a new home. Cats are particularly sensitive to stress, which poses a threat to welfare through development of detrimental mental and physical conditions due to prolonged episodes of anxiety. Pet Remedy (Unex Designs) is a valerian-based product developed to calm and de-stress companion animals. Literature regarding feline stress is limited, with no prior research into how Pet Remedy affects cats in rescue shelters. This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of Pet Remedy. Forty-six participants were randomly organised into one of three treatment groups: control, placebo or pet remedy. Participant details, stress score and respiration rates were recorded prior to treatment, and again 30 minutes post-treatment. Exposure to Pet Remedy was associated with a significant decreases in stress score (P=0.000) and respiration rate (P=0.003). Efficacy of product was not affected by sex, neutering status or age, though this could benefit from further investigation. The results of this study suggest that Pet Remedy would significantly reduce stress-related behaviours in shelter cats, which may improve overall welfare of cats residing in rescue shelters.

FIV testing and feral cats in the UK.

Veterinary RecordVolume 192, Issue 12 p. 487-488 Feline Health FIV testing and feral cats in the UK First published: 16 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.3197Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. References 1Litster AL. Transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) among cohabiting cats in two cat rescue shelters. Vet J 2014; 201: 184– 8 2Dean R, Roberts M, Stavisky J. BSAVA Guide to Canine and Feline Shelter Medicine. BSAVA, 2018 3Little S, Levy J, Hartmann K, et al. 2020 AAFP feline retrovirus testing and management guidelines. J Feline Med Surg 2020; 22: 5– 30 4Schumacher E. Why are some shelters no longer testing all cats for FeLV and FIV? 2019. http://bitly.ws/GfIi (accessed 31 May 2023) 5 Cats Protection. The Feral Guide. 2021: 52– 3. www.cats.org.uk/media/10267/feral-guide-cats-protection.pdf (accessed 31 May 2023) 6Murray JK, Roberts MA, Skillings E, et al. Risk factors for feline immunodeficiency virus antibody test status in Cats Protection adoption centres (2004). J Feline Med Surg 2009; 11: 467– 73 7Dean R, Roberts M, Stavisky J. BSAVA Guide to Canine and Feline Shelter Medicine. BSAVA, 2018 8 The Cat Group. Policy statement 3: feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). www.thecatgroup.org.uk/policy_statements/fiv.html (accessed 9 June 2023) Volume192, Issue1217 June–1 July 2023Pages 487-488 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Feline neonatology: From birth to commencement of weaning - what to know for successful management.

Despite considerable interest in the field of companion animal reproduction, feline neonatology remains largely unstudied. This contrasts with the need for a more professional veterinary approach to newborn kittens and feline husbandry, across the pet, breeding cattery and rescue shelter settings, to reduce kitten mortality. Feline neonatology has relevance for veterinarians around the world as cats are continuing to become established as popular companion animals. Perinatal mortality in cats is remarkably high. Therefore, adequate neonatal evaluation and assistance at birth, careful monitoring of kittens in the vulnerable period until weaning begins, assessment of maternal factors and well-informed management of orphans are crucial in helping to reduce kitten losses. This review aims to deepen the basic knowledge of the veterinary clinical team regarding the characteristics of feline newborns under normal conditions at birth through to the commencement of weaning. Much of the information is also relevant to breeders and rescue/shelter caregivers. In compiling the present review, the authors have drawn on specific feline research data, where available, complemented by data extrapolated from scientific publications on newborn dogs, and also their own and their colleagues' professional clinical experience.

GIS-based Landslide Susceptibility Zoning Using Multi-Criteria Decision-making Method: A Case Study in Binalood Mountains, Iran

INTRODUCTION: Landslides are one of the recurrent natural problems that are widespread throughout the world, especially in mountainous areas, and cause a significant injury to and loss of human life and damage to properties and infrastructures. This study aimed to assess landslide susceptibility using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in Binalood Mountains, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. METHODS: Since the Binalood Mountains range has a high potential for landslides occurrence, the present study went through to map landslide susceptibility. To accomplish this, the AHP method was used, and then, receiver operating characteristic/area under the curves (AUCs) were prepared to evaluate the performance of the susceptibility map. Multiple data, such as lithology, distance to faults, land use, distance to roads, altitude, slope, aspect, stream power index, topographic wetness index, rainfall, distance from rivers, slope length index, and topographic location index, were considered for delineating the landslide susceptibility maps. These thematic layers were assigned suitable weights on the Saaty's scale according to their relative importance in landslide occurrence in the study area. The assigned weights of the thematic layers and their features were subsequently normalized using the AHP technique. Finally, all thematic layers were integrated by a weighted linear combination method in a geographic information system tool to generate landslide susceptibility maps. FINDINGS: The landslide susceptibility maps are split into five classes, namely very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results showed that the geological factor was the most important factor affecting the occurrence of landslides in the study area. Generally, 47.8% of the total area was considered high and very high-risk areas. The prediction accuracy of this map showed the values of AUC equal to 81.7% that showed the AHP model had very good accuracy. CONCLUSION: Overall, AHP is acceptable for landslide susceptibility mapping in the study area. A landslide susceptibility map is a useful tool to help with land management in landslide-prone areas. The results revealed that the predicted susceptibility levels were found to be in good agreement with the past landslide occurrences. Possibly, this map can be used by the concerned authorities in disaster management planning to prepare rescue routes, service centers, and shelters

The impact of COVID-19 on rescue shelters

Just as the rest of the world has had to adjust to the pressures and challenges of COVID-19, so have animal rescue centres. This article discusses the immediate effect of COVID-19 on rescue shelters in the UK.

A Retrospective Analysis of Typologies of Animal Abuse Recorded by the SPCA, Hong Kong.

Simple SummaryStatistical data are necessary to inform public debate on effective animal protection legislation. This retrospective study of 254 animal cruelty complaints recorded by the SPCA (Hong Kong) between 2013 and 2019 identified the gender and age of abusers, their relationship with the owner of the animal (where the owner was not the suspect) and the circumstances of the abuse. Animals are primarily at risk of harm from their male owners and owners’ family members. Most cases involved traumatic physical injury to dogs, with 30% of cases involving animals being killed by the defendant or having to be euthanised within 24 h of rescue, due to the level of cruelty inflicted upon them. The second most common typology of abuse involved neglect, with 27% of cases involving animals that had died from neglect or required euthanasia within 24 h of rescue. Most neglect cases involved animals being abandoned inside private premises without food/water. Abuse motivated by commercial profit was dominated by the breeding of dogs and cats for the pet trade. Dogs collected from strays were the most commonly hoarded species. Recognising the types of abuse and the species most at risk can inform legislation intended to protect animals.We conducted a retrospective study of 254 suspected cruelty offences recorded by the Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) between January 2013 and December 2019. Cases were categorised into four types of abuse: active maltreatment, passive neglect, commercial exploitation and hoarding. Attributes of defendants, relationship with the owner of the animal (where the owner was not the defendant) and the circumstances of the abuse (species of animal, number of animals involved, type of harm, need for medical care, number of animals seized) were recorded for each case. The majority of prosecuted cases involved traumatic physical injury to dogs, with 30% causing the death of animals. The second most common type of harm prosecuted was neglect, with 27% of cases causing death. The majority of neglect cases involved dogs abandoned inside private premises without food/water. The median number of animals hoarded was 47, with dogs the most common species. The majority of hoarders had collected their animals from strays. The largest hoarding cases (>100 animals) were operating as animal rescue shelters. Strategies to address cruelty to animals in Hong Kong can be informed by an understanding of which species are at greater risk of harm and in what circumstances this harm might occur.

Early maternal separation is not associated with changes in telomere length in domestic kittens (Felis catus).

ObjectiveStudies of multiple species have found that adverse early life experiences, including childhood trauma and maternal separation, can result in accelerated telomere shortening. The objective of this study was to determine if premature separation from the mother affected telomere length in domestic kittens (Felis catus). Subjects were 42 orphaned kittens and 10 mother-reared kittens from local animal rescue groups and shelters. DNA was extracted from whole blood collected from kittens at approximately 1 week and 2 months of age. Telomere length was assessed by qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) from a total of 86 samples and expressed as a ratio of telomere PCR relative to a single copy gene PCR (T/S).ResultsA generalized linear mixed model found there were no detectable differences in telomere length based on survival (F1, 76.2 = 3.35, p = 0.07), orphan status (F1, 56.5 = 0.44, p = 0.51), time point (F1, 43.5 = 0.19, p = 0.67), or the interaction between orphan status and time (F1, 43.5 = 0.86, p = 0.36). Although in other species telomere shortening is commonly associated with aging, even early in life, we did not find evidence for telomere shortening by two months of age. Our results suggest that the experience of early maternal separation in domestic cats who are subsequently hand-reared by humans does not accelerate telomere shortening compared to mother-reared kittens, at least in the first few months of life.

Intestinal Parasites and Fecal Cortisol Metabolites in Multi-Unowned-Cat Environments: The Impact of Housing Conditions.

Simple SummaryMulti-unowned-cat environments can be highly stressful for cats, and infectious and parasite diseases spread quickly and are difficult to prevent. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of intestinal parasites and fecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) in cat feces collected from different multi-cat environments and assess the effect of housing conditions on intestinal parasites and FCM levels in order to develop more efficient control strategies. Cat fecal samples from rescue shelters, catteries and feline colonies were analyzed with coprological methods to detect intestinal parasite patency and determine FCM. Helminth infection was mainly detected in free-roaming cats. In confined cats, protozoa infections were more likely detected in shelter cats than in cattery cats. Exposure to dogs was associated with parasite infection and cats highly exposed to dogs with visual contact and audible barking showed higher intestinal protozoa prevalence than cats that were not exposed to dogs. FCM levels were correlated with enclosure size and protozoa infection. Reducing stress by improving housing in terms of enclosure size and avoiding exposure to dogs may have an impact on the occurrence of intestinal parasites, especially protozoa.Housing conditions were assessed in different unowned multi-cat management models in order to evaluate their impact on the occurrence of intestinal parasites and fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) levels. Fresh stool fecal samples were collected from rescue shelters, catteries and feline colonies for coprological analyses in order to detect intestinal parasite patency and fecal cortisol metabolites. A questionnaire provided information about the facilities, management and housing conditions of cats, including information about dog exposure, enclosure size, environment enrichment and changes to group composition. Overall, intestinal parasite infection was detected in 58.2% of fecal samples collected. The occurrence of intestinal parasites detected in free-roaming cats was 82.2%, mainly due to helminth infection. The parasite infection rate was 57.3% in rescue shelters and 34.6% in catteries. In confined cats, protozoa infection was more likely detected in rescue shelters than in catteries (RR = 2.02 (1.30–3.14), p = 0.0012). Although the FCM values were very variable between cats, the enclosure size and parasite infection were correlated with the average FCM. A small enclosure size was correlated with high fecal cortisol metabolites (p = 0.016). Protozoa-positive samples showed higher FCM levels than negative samples (p = 0.0150). High dog exposure was statistically associated with protozoa infection (p = 0.0006). The results indicated that improving housing, especially in terms of floor space and avoiding dog exposure, reduces stress and can thus be applied to make control strategies in multi-unowned-cat environments more efficient, especially when cats are confined.

Increasing adoption rates at animal shelters: a two-phase approach to predict length of stay and optimal shelter allocation

BackgroundAmong the 6–8 million animals that enter the rescue shelters every year, nearly 3–4 million (i.e., 50% of the incoming animals) are euthanized, and 10–25% of them are put to death specifically because of shelter overcrowding each year. The overall goal of this study is to increase the adoption rates at animal shelters. This involves predicting the length of stay of each animal at shelters considering key features such as animal type (dog, cat, etc.), age, gender, breed, animal size, and shelter location.ResultsLogistic regression, artificial neural network, gradient boosting, and the random forest algorithms were used to develop models to predict the length of stay. The performance of these models was determined using three performance metrics: precision, recall, and F1 score. The results demonstrated that the gradient boosting algorithm performed the best overall, with the highest precision, recall, and F1 score. Upon further observation of the results, it was found that age for dogs (puppy, super senior), multicolor, and large and small size were important predictor variables.ConclusionThe findings from this study can be utilized to predict and minimize the animal length of stay in a shelter and euthanization. Future studies involve determining which shelter location will most likely lead to the adoption of that animal. The proposed two-phased tool can be used by rescue shelters to achieve the best compromise solution by making a tradeoff between the adoption speed and relocation cost.

Development of existing scoring systems to assess behavioural coping in shelter cats

Assessing how cats cope with the housing and husbandry at shelters is an important part of maintaining good animal welfare. There are non-invasive methods to assess how cats cope with their environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of the behaviours used in an extended Stress Assessment protocol for cats to detect stress. Looking at which behaviours are salient and possible to observe accurately, and which correlate with time until adoption. The study was carried out at a non-governmental medium sized cat rescue shelter in Midwestern USA. The shelter had a no-kill policy with screening of cats before intake from county shelters. The observed cats were either group-housed in five rooms (n = 70) or singly housed in double cages (n = 13). Observations were carried out during both morning and afternoon sessions, during which two 1-min observations recorded if cats performed any of 85 behavioural elements (BEs). Time at shelter and if cats were declawed or not were collected from shelter records after the observations. Statistical analysis of the BEs that best predicted the total time at shelter was calculated using the Survival Analysis based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model using a stepwise regression analysis separately for each scoring. The median time at shelter for group-housed cats was 26 days (IQR = 6–54) and for single-housed cats 29 days (IQR = 7–97). In total, 24 % of the BEs (20 of 85) were never recorded, however there were significantly more BEs recorded in group-housed cats (63 BEs) than in single-housed cats (49 BEs, p < 0.05). The survival analysis found 16 unique BEs to predict “Short time at shelter” (14 BEs in group-housed, two in single-housed), 14 were positively correlated meaning that they increased the chance of early adoption and two were negative meaning that they decreased the chance of early adoption. The survival analysis also calculated “Long time at shelter” and found 14 unique BEs where 12 BEs were in group-housed cats and three BEs were in single-housed cats. Seven of these were positively correlated meaning that they decreased the chance of early adoption, whereas seven were negatively correlated meaning that they increased the chance of early adoption. The conclusion is that the extended Stress Assessment could be used to detect BEs indicating stress of cats at shelters, and that there are BEs that can predict shorter time at the shelter. However, further investigations could help reduce the number of BEs needed.

The behavioral and physiological effects of dog appeasing pheromone on canine behavior during separation from the owner

Behavioral problems in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) increase the likelihood of the dog being rehomed or relinquished to a rescue shelter. Problem behaviors that result in relinquishment include unwanted elimination, destructive behavior, and excessive vocalization when owners are absent. Dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) is currently marketed via veterinarians as a stress relief product and purported to help dogs cope in stressful situations and as a potential solution to reduce anxiety. This study investigated whether a DAP diffuser affected behavioral and physiological stress parameters in 10 dogs in a laboratory environment. A repeated measures design with and without the use of DAP and in the presence and absence of the owner was used. Behavioral responses, such as barking, passive behavior, scratching, whining, orienting behavior, exploration, and locomotion, were recorded in real time and video recorded using a focal instantaneous sampling technique. To control for potential bias, 10% of the videos were scored using a second blinded scorer to assess interrater reliability. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability using standard deviation of normal to normal beats, and eye temperature and ear temperature (°C) were also collected to assess dogs' physiological state. When dogs were separated from their owner, there was a significant increase in orienting behavior during both the DAP and without DAP application trial phase, suggesting arousal due to owner absence rather than any discernible effect of DAP. A significant increase was recorded in core eye temperature when the owner was absent and the DAP diffuser was not switched on; however, eye temperature also increased when the owners were present after the DAP condition, suggesting that it may be the owner's presence and the dog's arousal levels that affect core eye temperature rather than any effect of DAP. There was no significant effect of DAP on HR or ear temperature. Overall, our results suggest that the application of a DAP diffuser did not markedly influence the behavior, HR, and eye or ear temperature of dogs.

Picture Perfect Pups: How Do Attributes of Photographs of Dogs in Online Rescue Profiles Affect Adoption Speed?

Simple SummaryThis study examined the photographs of 8332 dogs on the website of PetRescue, Australia’s largest online directory of animals in need of adoption. By investigating a range of photographic attributes, we revealed significant associations between several variables and length of stay (LOS) online, indicating visual characteristics that prospective owners find appealing when looking at rescue dogs online. The photographic attributes associated with the shortest LOS in the current study were mouths closed, a black coat colour, floppy ears and being photographed in a kennel structure. Several of these results contrast with those from previous studies, such as that dogs generally have a better chance of being adopted if they look as though they are owned, rather than living in a rescue shelter. Our results imply that many users of pet adoption sites may actively favour dogs who appear to need their help. We suggest that our results may reveal more about the users of these sites than general human responses to photographs of dogs per se.To increase the public’s awareness of and exposure to animals needing homes, PetRescue, Australia’s largest online directory of animals in need of adoption, lists all currently available animals from rescue and welfare shelters nationwide. The current study examined the photographs in the PetRescue online profiles of the three most common breeds within these data, namely, Staffordshire bull terriers (n = 3988), Labrador retrievers (n = 2246), and Jack Russell terriers (n = 2088), to identify the inferred preferences of potential adopters. By investigating the attributes of these photographs, we were able to identify visual risk factors associated with protracted lengths of stay (LOS). The longest stays were associated with dogs with erect ears and those photographed in a natural environment, i.e., 18.32 days and 19.57 days, respectively. Dogs photographed in a kennel and with mouths closed had the shortest LOS, i.e., 11.54 d and 14.44 d, respectively. Heightened awareness of the roles of photographic attributes in generating interest among potential adopters may increase the speed of adoption by guiding the creation of online profiles and selection of photos to optimise the promotion of dogs at risk of long stays.

Lop-eared rabbits have more aural and dental problems than erect-eared rabbits: a rescue population study

This research aimed to assess whether rabbits having lop ears, an artificially selected conformation, compromises welfare. We investigated the occurrence of aural and dental pathology in lop-eared compared with erect-eared...

Molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis sp. in dogs housed in Italian rescue shelters.

Blastocystis is a ubiquitous protozoan with a wide range of hosts. In humans, its presence has been associated with gastrointestinal disorders, although its role as a pathogen still needs to be elucidated. Until now, 17 Blastocystis subtypes (STs) have been identified, with ST1-ST4 the most commonly found in humans. Among domestic animals, the same STs reported in humans have been detected in dogs. An epidemiological survey on dog kennels was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of Blastocystis and the STs involved. Overall, 99 faecal samples were collected from the rescue shelters. Blastocystis detection was performed through conventional barcoding PCR targeting the 1800-bp SSU-rDNA, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Blastocystis DNA was found in 21 faecal samples (21.2%), and all samples were successfully sequenced and identified as ST3 in a unique monophyletic group. The presence of Blastocystis was reported for the first time in dogs from Italy, with the identification of ST3, the subtype most commonly found in humans.

Descriptive Texts in Dog Profiles Associated with Length of Stay Via an Online Rescue Network

Simple SummaryBy investigating the descriptive text that constitutes an online profile of shelter dogs on PetRescue, the current study has identified personality adjectives that may influence the appeal of the four most common breeds available to pet adopters in Australia. If texts are likely to influence potential adopters’ decision-making, then the current findings reveal stark differences in desirable characteristics in canine companions, dependent on breed. The analysis showed that the presence of some terms and the absence of others had breed-specific associations with length of stay (LOS). For present terms, the shortest LOS among Australian cattle dogs were for those described as “active” (42.15 days); among Jack Russell terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers for those described as “gentle” (22.87 days and 32.23 days, respectively); and among Labrador retrievers for those described as quiet (22.18 days). For absent terms, the shortest LOS among Australian cattle dogs and Jack Russell terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers were for those not described as “energetic” (30.16 days, 19.58 days and 25.87 days, respectively); and among Labrador retrievers for those not described as “active” (18.79 days). This implies that breed may influence these expectations and what adopters are looking for in personality descriptors. Welfare shelters may wish to use these findings to modify their strategies when rehoming animals via online profiles.To increase the public’s awareness of animals needing homes, PetRescue, Australia’s largest online directory of animals in need of adoption, lists animals available from rescue and welfare shelters nationwide. The current study examined the descriptions accompanying online PetRescue profiles. The demographic data and personality descriptors of 70,733 dogs were analysed for associations with LOS in shelters—with long stays being a potential proxy for low appeal. Univariable and multivariable general linear models of log-transformed LOS with personality adjectives and demographic variables were fitted and the predicted means back-transformed for presentation. Further analyses were conducted of a subset of the dataset for the four most common breeds (n = 20,198 dogs) to investigate if the influence of personality adjectives on the LOS differed by breed. The average LOS of dogs was 35.4 days (median 18 days) and was influenced by several adjectives. Across all breeds, the LOS was significantly shorter if the adjectives ‘make you proud’, ‘independent’, ‘lively’, ‘eager’ and ‘clever’ were included in the description. However, the LOS was longer if the terms ‘only dog’, ‘dominant’, ‘sensitive’ and ‘happy-go-lucky’ were included in the description. Some of the association of descriptors with relatively long LOS are difficult to explain. For example, it is unclear why the terms “obedient” and trainable” appear unappealing. The confidence adopters have in these terms and their ability to make the most of such dogs merits further exploration. As expected, the LOS differed in different breeds with the Labrador retrievers having the fastest adoption rate among the most common four breeds with an average LOS of 14.5 days. Breed had interactions with four personality adjectives (gentle, active, quiet and energetic) indicating that the adoption rate of dogs with these descriptors in their online PetRescue profiles differed by breed. This highlights an important knowledge gap, suggesting that potential adopters have differing expectations according to the breed being considered. Increased awareness of the breed-specific influence of personality adjectives on appeal to potential adopters, may enhance adoption success by allowing dogs with risk factors for low appeal to be promoted more intensively than high-appeal dogs.

3106 The influence of early life experience on telomere length, health, and behavior of domestic cats

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The primary objective of this research is to determine whether being hand-reared, and deprived of early maternal interaction, will affect telomere length in orphaned kittens. The secondary goal is to examine how early maternal separation impacts the health, growth and behavior of orphaned kittens. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Kittens were fostered through local rescue groups and shelters. We collected blood samples from 42 orphaned kittens during the first week of their lives. Due to high mortality of this population, we obtained a second blood sample at eight weeks of age from only 30 of these kittens. We collected blood samples from 12 control kittens raised with mothers at during the first and eighth weeks of life. Blood samples are currently being processed with real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) by the Real-time PCR Research and Diagnostics Core Facility at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). This includes RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, Reference Gene Validation, and qPCR analysis. Relative telomere length (RTL) will be calculated by comparing the average telomere abundance across three samples cells with that of a reference gene (single copy number) for each sample. The resulting T/S ratio (telomere to single copy) is proportional to the average telomere length. If T/S = 1, then telomere length in the sample and the reference are the same. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Because telomeres show the fastest rate of shortening early in life, we predict that maternal separation will increase the rate of telomere shortening in kittens. We also predict that the telomeres of orphaned kittens will be shorter at both one week and eight weeks of age, compared to controls. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This study will increase our understanding of early life adversity, a finding that can translate to other mammals. It will inform the practice of fostering neonatal kittens, and illuminate whether these kittens might be at higher risk than mother-reared kittens for health problems (which could be investigated in future studies). If significant telomere shortening occurs between collection periods, then future studies can take more frequent blood samples to determine what stages of early development are potentially most sensitive. If differences between groups are found, this will establish a protocol for several future research projects, such as testing whether these detrimental effects can be mitigated by environmental enrichment via activation of telomerase. Telomerase is an enzyme that appears to counteract some shortening of telomeres, and is activated by several external factors, including exercise. Thus, a logical follow up study would be developing and testing age-specific and appropriate enrichments that may activate telomerase and reduce telomere loss. Physical contact, whether human, mother, or siblings, is another possible source of telomerase activation in young kittens. Future studies also could quantify the effects of different sources of physical contact on telomere shortening. Finally, a positive finding would establish a need for longitudinal studies of the effects of early weaning on feline health and behavior and whether differences in early-life telomere lengths predict health and longevity of cats.

Clicker training increases exploratory behaviour and time spent at the front of the enclosure in shelter cats; Implications for welfare and adoption rates

The rescue shelter environment is known to be stressful for domestic cats, which can lead to them becoming less active, playful and exploratory as well as spending a long time hiding. Early adoption can prevent long term stress in shelter cats, but adopters often look at behaviour and friendliness as criteria when choosing a cat to rehome. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a clicker training intervention to promote behaviours indicative of improved welfare and increase the potential adoptability of cats in rescue shelters. Twelve cats were clicker trained over two weeks their behaviour and response to humans was recorded before and after the training schedule. Cats showed significantly more exploratory behaviour, a decrease in inactivity and spent more time at the front of their enclosures after training. Four of the cats which failed the human approach test initially, passed it after training but this result was nonsignificant. Clicker training may be a simple and rapid way to improve welfare and adoptability in rescue cats.

Laterality as a Predictor of Coping Strategies in Dogs Entering a Rescue Shelter

It has been reported that during the first few days following entry to a kennel environment, shelter dogs may suffer poor welfare. Previous work suggests that motor bias (the preferred use of one limb over the other) can potentially be used as an indicator of emotional reactivity and welfare risk. In this study, we investigate whether paw preference could be used as a predictive indicator of stress coping (measured using cortisol levels and behavioural observation) in a sample of 41 dogs entering a rescue shelter. Cortisol levels and behavioural observations were collected for one week after admission. We scored the dogs’ paw preference during a food-retrieval task. Our results showed that increasing left-pawedness was associated with a higher expression of stress-related behaviours such as frequent change of state, vocalisations and lower body posture. These results are in keeping with previous findings showing that left-limb biased animals are more vulnerable to stress. Paw preference testing may be a useful tool for detecting different coping strategies in dogs entering a kennel environment and identifying target individuals at risk of reduced welfare.

The effects of dog-appeasing pheromone spray upon canine vocalizations and stress-related behaviors in a rescue shelter

Abstract Exposure to dog-appeasing pheromones (DAPs) has been suggested to reduce stress-related behaviors in dogs; however, the effects of DAP administered using a portable, rapid use spray has not received as much attention as the plug-in format. The aim of the present study was to determine whether DAP spray reduced stress-related behaviors in rescue shelter dogs ( Canis familiaris ). Barking intensity, frequency of barking, and stress-related behaviors in the presence of a stressor were recorded using a repeated measures design with and without the use of spray pheromones. The mean barking intensity (dB) was reduced by 6.48 dB in dogs exposed to DAP spray, but there were no significant difference in the frequency of barking or occurrence of stress-related behaviors. This small change in intensity of barking is difficult to interpret as being beneficial to dog welfare, since there was a lack of reduction in the other stress indicators. Research that uses both a longer time period of DAP exposure and behavioral observation, plus a larger sample size, different stressors and physiological stress indicators, should also be considered if further pursuit of DAP as an intervention is desired.