Veterinary Perspectives on Companion Animal Behavior and Welfare
A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Education, Veterinary Communication and Animal Behavior".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: animal behaviours and welfare
Interests: human-animal
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The Special Issue, ‘Veterinary Perspectives on Companion Animal Behavior and Welfare’, focuses on the essential role veterinarians play in promoting healthy, trusting and mutually beneficial relationships between humans and companion animals. Modern veterinary practice extends beyond medical care—it involves understanding behavioral science, emotional well-being, and the dynamics of human–animal communication. This Issue welcomes studies that explore how veterinarians, pet owners, and animal behaviorists collaborate to identify and manage behavioral problems, reduce stress in clinical environments and improve welfare outcomes. Topics include:
- veterinary-led behavior consultations,
- communication strategies for owner compliance,
- empathy, compassion fatigue, mental health in practitioners, and
- integration of welfare science into veterinary curricula by bridging behavioral research, welfare science, and veterinary clinical practice.
This Special Issue aims to advance a more holistic and compassionate framework for companion animal care—one that strengthens the emotional connection between animals, their caregivers and the professionals who support them.
Dr. Brinda India Jegatheesan
Dr. Elizabeth J. Ormerod
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- companion animals
- veterinary communication
- animal behavior
- welfare assessment
- human–animal bond
- behavioral medicine
- client–veterinarian relationship
- stress reduction
- empathy and compassion fatigue
- veterinary education
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