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Enhancing quality of life for dogs and cats in confined situations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

RP Timmins ,
KD Cliff ,
CT Day ,
BL Hart ,
LA Hart ,
RC Hubrecht ,
KF Hurley ,
CJC Phillips ,
JS Rand  and
I Rochlitz
...Show all authors
RP Timmins*
Affiliation:
Center for Animals in Society, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
KD Cliff
Affiliation:
Companion Animal Behaviour Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
CT Day
Affiliation:
Small Animal Clinic and Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
BL Hart
Affiliation:
Companion Animal Behaviour Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
LA Hart
Affiliation:
UC Center for Animal Alternatives, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
RC Hubrecht
Affiliation:
Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK
KF Hurley
Affiliation:
Shelter Medicine Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis CA 95616, USA
CJC Phillips
Affiliation:
Center for Animal Welfare and Ethics, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
JS Rand
Affiliation:
Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
I Rochlitz
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
JA Serpell
Affiliation:
Center for Interaction of Animals and Society, 3900 Delancey Street, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19104, USA
SL Zawistowski
Affiliation:
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 E 92nd Street, New York, NY 10218, USA
*
* Correspondence: rptimmins@ucdavis.edu
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Abstract

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An international panel of experts in the fields of canine and feline health, welfare and behaviour conducted an online discussion addressing two questions: (1) how can one define quality of life (QoL) for dogs and cats in confined living situations, such as laboratories; and (2) what additional research is needed to determine how optimal QoL can be achieved? The panel suggested that QoL encompasses animal welfare and the subjective ‘feelings’ of the animal regarding its life, and that it can only be inferred from behavioural, physiological and other measures. Two methods for measuring QoL were proposed: establishing an ethogram defining QoL for individuals; and developing a ‘quality of living’ scale that can be applied to facilities housing groups of dogs and cats. Constructing these measures requires a comprehensive research program, and the paper discusses overall research objectives, specific questions that must be addressed, and some proposed research methods.

Keywords

animal welfarecompanion animalsethogramhuman–animal bondlaboratory animalsquality of life
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue S1: Quality of Life: the heart of the matter: Proceedings of the UFAW/BVA Ethics Committee International Symposium, The Royal Society, London, 13-14 September 2006. , May 2007 , pp. 83 - 87
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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