Search Results (68)

Wildlife rescue centres face considerable challenges in promoting animal welfare and enhancing the care and housing conditions of animals under professional supervision. These challenges are further compounded by the diversity of species admitted, each with distinct specific needs. In Colombia and other Latin American countries, primates are among the most frequently rescued and behaviourally complex mammalian taxa, requiring particular attention. In response, this study aimed to assess the content validity of proposed animal welfare indicators for Cebus albifrons through a Delphi consultation process and to develop two species-specific assessment protocols: a daily-use tool for keepers and a comprehensive protocol for professional audits. A panel of 23 experts in primate care and rehabilitation participated in two consultation rounds to evaluate and prioritise the indicators based on their content validity, perceived reliability, and practicality. Indicators were classified as either animal-based (direct measures) or resource- and management-based (indirect measures). After each round, experts received summarised feedback to refine their responses and facilitate consensus building. Of the 39 initially proposed indicators, 28 were validated for inclusion in the extended protocol and 10 selected for the daily-use checklist. Among these, 20 indicators in the extended protocol and 6 in the daily protocol were resource- or management-based—such as adequate food provision, physical enrichment, and habitat dimensions—highlighting their practical applicability and relevance in identifying welfare issues and risk factors. Although these indirect indicators were more numerous, the top-ranked indicators in both protocols were animal-based, including signs of pain, affiliative behaviours, and abnormal repetitive behaviours. These are essential for accurately reflecting the animals’ welfare state and are therefore critical components of welfare assessment in captive non-human primates. This study demonstrates that welfare assessment tools can be effectively tailored to the specific needs of wildlife rescue centres, providing a robust foundation for enhancing welfare practices. These protocols not only offer practical approaches for assessing welfare but also underscore the importance of embedding animal welfare as a priority alongside conservation efforts. Future research should aim to refine these tools further, assess their implementation, and evaluate inter- and intra-observer reliability to ensure consistency across different settings. Full article

The national prevalence of HIV among adults in Zimbabwe was 10.4% in 2023, while the HIV prevalence in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province was 11.7%. The country achieved the UNAIDS Fast Track goals of 95-95-95 ahead of the 2030 target, by reporting an ART coverage of 97.0% and a viral suppression rate of 95.0%. As the number of people on ART continues to grow, it is expected that the number of patients failing current first-line non-nucleoside treatment will increase. However, access to second-line treatment regimens remains very limited in resource-poor settings such as Zimbabwe. It is therefore imperative to review treatment success for persons on second-line treatment. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using routinely collected clinical and demographic data from 315 participants who had been on a second-line ART regimen in Bulawayo for at least six months between 2015 and 2020. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for viral suppression using SPSS version 28. Viral suppression (68.6%) for adults was far below the target of 95%. After accounting for all other variables, baseline CD4 count (>200 c/µL) [AOR = 1.94 (1.05–3.61)], having no history of non-adherence on first-line ART [AOR = 3.88 (1.91–7.85)], drug switch within 12 months of failure [AOR = 4.13 (1.98–8.60)] and retention in care at 5 years [AOR = 6.35 (2.56–15.76)] predicted viral re-suppression. The second-line (rescue) regimen has not achieved the expected success in reversing initial viral non-suppression (due to late presentation and poor adherence), despite enhanced adherence counselling. Timely switching is effective when done within 12 months and coupled with persistent engagement in care. We recommend improved methods, such as enhanced adherence counselling for behaviour change to improve viral re-suppression rates, especially for those on with a history of poor adherence and virologic non-suppression. Full article

Experts consider tackling companion animal ownership problems, such as delayed veterinary treatment and a lack of appropriate care provision, to be key in striving towards improved animal welfare. Additionally, every year, millions of companion animals are relinquished to rescue centres globally; a process that can be distressing for both people and animals. By adapting traditional shelter model activity, it is possible to develop proactive community interventions to provide support for companion animal owners prior to crisis points and therefore, prevent suffering. This case report shares a novel approach to improving companion animal welfare and reducing avoidable relinquishment in communities. As part of a three-stage process, a mixed-method approach was applied to build an understanding of the needs of owners of potentially vulnerable companion animals in the target community. The research stages revealed that the lack of timely veterinary treatment for pets within the target community represented a welfare concern. Based upon this understanding, a co-creation approach was deployed to design targeted interventions to improve companion animal welfare in the community through the application of human behaviour change theories. The process revealed the operational effectiveness of a co-creation approach to intervention design in the context of improving animal welfare. This novel approach has demonstrated significant value in addressing the needs of pet-owning communities. Full article

The early postnatal period is a critical neurodevelopmental stage characterized by rapid neural maturation and is adversely affected by early-life stressors. This study explored the behavioural, physiological, and epigenetic consequences of early-life stress in a population of homeless rescue kittens. This longitudinal study included 50 kittens rescued and placed into foster care by the Prince Edward Island Humane Society. They underwent behavioural testing at 8, 10, and 12 weeks of age. Hair cortisol concentration was measured at 8 weeks and served as a physiological marker of the previous 3 months’ cumulative stress response, which, for these kittens, included the late gestation period. A blood sample for relative telomere length measurement was taken at 10–12 weeks to estimate epigenetic changes as young kittens. Data were analyzed with respect to age and performance in all repeated measures tests, status as a stray or a surrender, and the presence of the dam in their foster homes. As expected, the performance of kittens in all tests changed over the 5 weeks of testing. Kittens separated from their mothers exhibited significantly higher hair cortisol concentrations (p = 0.02) and elongated relative telomere lengths (p = 0.04). No correlation was found between hair cortisol concentration and relative telomere lengths (p = 0.99). These results support the need for further study on the effects of epigenetics and early-life stress, both in kittens and across species. Full article

Defining the ideal characteristics of canine companions is imperative to those seeking to improve human–dog relationships. Previous investigations into the preferred traits of companion dogs were conducted before substantial recent events, such as the rise of social media and the COVID-19 pandemic, which altered human lifestyles and potentially affected canine preferences and owner satisfaction. This study surveyed Australian adults (n = 337) online to assess these shifts. The ideal dog was characterised as medium-sized, with a short- low- or non-shedding coat, and acquired as a puppy from a shelter/rescue. Desired traits included being affectionate, healthy, non-aggressive, safe with children, housetrained, non-destructive when alone, and not prone to escaping. Principal Component Analysis identified five factors: ‘calm and obedient’, ‘inhibitory control’, ‘energy and drive’, ‘non-aggressive and safe’, and ‘affectionate and healthy’. Demographic variables of age, gender, perceived income, and household children influenced preferences. No significant differences in owner satisfaction with behaviour were observed between dogs acquired during versus outside the pandemic. The findings align with prior Australian research, suggesting enduring stability in preferences for the ideal companion dog. These insights offer valuable guidance for breeders, prospective owners, and policymakers to reduce dog relinquishment and improve human–dog relationships. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance affects all environments, endangering the health of numerous species, including wildlife. Increasing anthropic pressure promotes the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance by wild animals. Sea turtles, being particularly exposed, are considered sentinels and carriers of potential zoonotic pathogens and resistant strains. Therefore, this study examined the antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from loggerhead sea turtles hospitalised in a rescue centre of Southern Italy over a 9-year period. Resistance to ceftazidime, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, flumequine, gentamicin, oxytetracycline and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was evaluated for 138 strains isolated from the clinical samples or organs of 60 animals. Gram-negative families were the most isolated: Vibrionaceae were predominant, followed by Shewanellaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Morganellaceae. These last three families exhibited the highest proportion of resistance and multidrug-resistant strains. Among the three Gram-positive families isolated, Enterococcaceae were the most represented and resistant. The opportunistic behaviour of all the isolated species is particularly concerning for diseased sea turtles, especially considering their resistance to commonly utilised antibiotics. Actually, the multiple antibiotic resistance was higher when the sea turtles were previously treated. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to improve antimicrobial stewardship and monitor antibiotic resistance in wildlife, to preserve the health of endangered species, along with public and environmental health. Full article

Dogs are often relinquished because of behavioural issues which may be exacerbated in rehoming centres. Prison-based dog training programmes (DTPs) may enhance outcomes for rescue dogs by providing socialisation and training opportunities to improve behaviour, welfare and likelihood of rehoming. We assessed whether dogs benefitted from participation, 1–3 times per week, in a prison-based DTP in which male young offenders learn how to train and care for dogs waiting to be rehomed. Within DTP sessions, there was significant improvement on a range of training tasks (n = 42 dogs). Analyses of videos (n = 17 dogs) in the kennels and a training barn pre- and post-DTP participation showed improvement in some positive behaviours, but no significant change in other behaviours. Subjective ratings by staff of the dogs’ behaviour were made (n = 20 dogs). Desirable behaviours (e.g., playful/friendly) increased, and most undesirable behaviours (e.g., frustrated and noisy) decreased. Participation in the DTP did not mitigate all negative behaviours. However, improvements are consistent with enhanced welfare and likelihood of successful rehoming. Prison-based DTPs can be effective in supporting the work of animal rescue organisations to improve outcomes for dogs, while offering people in custody an opportunity to engage in purposeful activity and provide a community service. Full article

Locoregional anaesthetic techniques are invaluable for providing multimodal analgesia for painful surgical procedures. This prospective, randomised study describes a nerve stimulator-guided brachial plexus blockade (BPB) in rabbits undergoing orthopaedic surgery in comparison to systemic lidocaine. Premedication was provided with intramuscular (IM) medetomidine, fentanyl, and midazolam. Anaesthesia was induced (propofol IV) and maintained with isoflurane. Nine rabbits received a lidocaine BPB (2%; 0.3 mL kg⁻¹), and eight received a lidocaine constant rate infusion (CRI) (2 mg kg⁻¹ IV, followed by 100 µg kg⁻¹ min⁻¹). Rescue analgesia was provided with fentanyl IV. Carprofen was administered at the end of the surgery. Postoperative pain was determined using the Rabbit Grimace Scale (RGS) and a composite pain scale. Buprenorphine was administered according to the pain score for two hours after extubation. Rabbits were filmed during the first two hours to measure distance travelled and behaviours. Food intake and faeces output were compared. Every rabbit in CRI required intraoperative rescue analgesia compared to none in BPB. However, rabbits in both groups had similar pain scores, and there was no difference in the administration of postoperative analgesia. There were no significant differences in food intake or faeces production over 18 h, and no significant differences in distance travelled or behaviours examined during the first two hours. BPB seems superior for intraoperative analgesia. Postoperatively, both groups were comparable. Full article

In multi-agent systems, the Dynamic Distributed Constraint Optimisation Problem (D-DCOP) framework is pivotal, allowing for the decomposition of global objectives into agent constraints. Proactive agent behaviour is crucial in such systems, enabling agents to anticipate future changes and adapt accordingly. Existing approaches, like Proactive Dynamic DCOP (PD-DCOP) algorithms, often necessitate a predefined environment model. We address the problem of enabling proactive agent behaviour in D-DCOPs where the dynamics model of the environment is unknown. Specifically, we propose an approach where agents learn local autoregressive models from observations, predicting future states to inform decision-making. To achieve this, we present a temporal experience-sharing message-passing algorithm that leverages dynamic agent connections and a distance metric to collate training data. Our approach outperformed baseline methods in a search-and-extinguish task using the RoboCup Rescue Simulator, achieving better total building damage. The experimental results align with prior work on the significance of decision-switching costs and demonstrate improved performance when the switching cost is combined with a learned model. Full article

Ant rescue behaviour belongs to the most interesting subcategories of prosocial and altruistic behaviour encountered in the animal world. Several studies suggested that ants are able to identify what exactly restrains the movements of another individual and to direct their rescue behaviour precisely to that object. To shed more light on the question of how precise the identification of the source of restraint of another ant is, we investigated rescue behaviour of red wood ant Formica polyctena workers, using a new version of an artificial snare bioassay in which a nestmate victim bore two wire loops on its body, one (acting as a snare) placed on its petiole and an additional one on its leg. The tested ants did not preferentially direct their rescue behaviour towards the snare. Moreover, the overall strategy adopted by the most active rescuers was not limited to precisely targeted rescue attempts directed towards the snare, but consisted of frequent switching between various subcategories of rescue behaviour. These findings highlight the importance of precise identification of cognitive processes and overall behavioural strategies for better understanding of causal factors underlying animal helping behaviour in light of new facts discovered by testing of various successive research hypotheses. Full article

Novelty detection, crucial to episodic memory formation, is impaired in epileptic patients with mesial temporal lobe resection. Mismatch novelty detection, that activates the hippocampal CA1 area in humans and is vital for memory reformulation and reconsolidation, is also impaired in patients with hippocampal lesions. In this work, we investigated the response to mismatch novelty, as occurs with the new location of known objects in a familiar environment, in the Li²⁺-pilocarpine rat model of TLE and its correlation with hippocampal monoaminergic markers. Animals showing spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) for at least 4 weeks at the time of behavioural testing showed impaired spatial learning in the radial arm maze, as described. Concurrently, SRS rats displayed impaired exploratory responses to mismatch novelty, yet novel object recognition was not significantly affected in SRS rats. While the levels of serotonin and dopamine transporters were mildly decreased in hippocampal membranes from SRS rats, the levels on the norepinephrine transporter, tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase were enhanced, hinting for an augmentation, rather than an impairment in noradrenergic function in SRS animals. Altogether, this reveals that mismatch novelty detection is particularly affected by hippocampal damage associated to the Li²⁺-pilocarpine model of epilepsy 4–8 weeks after the onset of SRSs and suggests that deficits in mismatch novelty detection may substantially contribute to cognitive impairment in MTLE. As such, behavioural tasks based on these aspects of mismatch novelty may prove useful in the development of cognitive therapy strategies aiming to rescue cognitive deficits observed in epilepsy. Full article

Dog caregiver reporting on the spectrum of fearful–aggressive behaviours often describes ‘unpredictable’ or ‘exaggerated’ responses to a situation/animal/person. A possible explanation for these behavioural responses considers that the dog is reacting to triggered memories for which the dog has a negative association. For many dogs undergoing veterinary behavioural treatment or rehabilitation through a canine rescue organisation, the assessing clinician relies on “proxy” reporting of the history/background by a caregiver (dog owner, foster carer, or shelter personnel). Detailed information on the event or circumstances resulting in this negative association may be limited or absent altogether. Consideration of a trauma-informed care (TIC) approach, currently applied in a wide range of human psychology and social care fields, may be helpful in guiding the clinical approach taken. The literature relating to adverse early experience (AEE) and trauma-informed care (TIC) in puppies/dogs compared to children/adults was evaluated to identify common themes and conclusions identified across both species. In the absence of known/identifiable trauma, behavioural assessment and management should consider that a ‘problem’ dog may behave as it does, as the result of previous trauma. The dog can then be viewed through a lens of empathy and understanding, often lacking for dogs presenting with impulsive, reactive, or aggressive behaviours. Assessment must avoid re-traumatising the animal through exposure to triggering stimuli and, treatment options should include counselling of caregivers on the impact of adverse early experiences, consideration of the window of tolerance, and TIC behavioural modification techniques. Full article

The small GTPase Ras plays an important role in connecting external and internal signalling cues to cell fate in eukaryotic cells. As such, the loss of RAS regulation, localisation, or expression level can drive changes in cell behaviour and fate. Post-translational modifications and expression levels are crucial to ensure Ras localisation, regulation, function, and cell fate, exemplified by RAS mutations and gene duplications that are common in many cancers. Here, we reveal that excessive production of yeast Ras2, in which the phosphorylation-regulated serine at position 225 is replaced with alanine or glutamate, leads to its mislocalisation and constitutive activation. Rather than inducing cell death, as has been widely reported to be a consequence of constitutive Ras2 signalling in yeast, the overexpression of RAS2^S225A or RAS2^S225E alleles leads to slow growth, a loss of respiration, reduced stress response, and a state of quiescence. These effects are mediated via cAMP/PKA signalling and transcriptional changes, suggesting that quiescence is promoted by an uncoupling of cell-cycle regulation from metabolic homeostasis. The quiescent cell fate induced by the overexpression of RAS2^S225A or RAS2^S225E could be rescued by the deletion of CUP9, a suppressor of the dipeptide transporter Ptr2, or the addition of peptone, implying that a loss of metabolic control, or a failure to pass a metabolic checkpoint, is central to this altered cell fate. Our data suggest that the combination of an increased RAS2 copy number and a dominant active mutation that leads to its mislocalisation can result in growth arrest and add weight to the possibility that approaches to retarget RAS signalling could be employed to develop new therapies. Full article

Mood alterations, anxiety, and cognitive impairments associated with adult-onset hypothyroidism often persist despite replacement treatment. In rodent models of hypothyroidism, replacement does not bring 3-iodothyronamine (T₁AM) brain levels back to normal. T₁AM is a thyroid hormone derivative with cognitive effects. Using a pharmacological hypothyroid mouse model, we investigated whether augmenting levothyroxine (L-T₄) with T₁AM improves behavioural correlates of depression, anxiety, and memory and has an effect on hippocampal neurogenesis. Hypothyroid mice showed impaired performance in the novel object recognition test as compared to euthyroid mice (discrimination index (DI): 0.02 ± 0.09 vs. 0.29 ± 0.06; t = 2.515, p = 0.02). L-T₄ and L-T₄+T₁AM rescued memory (DI: 0.27 ± 0.08 and 0.34 ± 0.08, respectively), while T₁AM had no effect (DI: −0.01 ± 0.10). Hypothyroidism reduced the number of neuroprogenitors in hippocampal neurogenic niches by 20%. L-T₄ rescued the number of neuroprogenitors (mean diff = 106.9 ± 21.40, t = 4.99, p_corr = 0.003), while L-T₄+T₁AM produced a 30.61% rebound relative to euthyroid state (mean diff = 141.6 ± 31.91, t = 4.44, p_corr = 0.004). We performed qPCR analysis of 88 genes involved in neurotrophic signalling pathways and found an effect of treatment on the expression of Ngf, Kdr, Kit, L1cam, Ntf3, Mapk3, and Neurog2. Our data confirm that L-T₄ is necessary and sufficient for recovering memory and hippocampal neurogenesis deficits associated with hypothyroidism, while we found no evidence to support the role of non-canonical TH signalling. Full article

An animal’s ability to navigate its home range in search of essential resources is a key aspect of its ecology. To reach these resources, animals employ varying navigational processes depending on their exocentric or egocentric view of their environment. The goal of this study was to determine if the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus), a nocturnal arboreal primate found in southeast Asia, uses some form of cognitive map and spatial memory while navigating their environment. Using behavioural and GPS data of six males and seven females collected at the Little Fireface Project field station based in West Java, Indonesia, we measured their frequency of revisiting important feeding trees, route overlap, and points where individuals significantly changed directions. We found that all individuals predominantly used four tree species while feeding and foraging. The lorises also displayed a high level of route overlap, leading us to conclude that they likely utilize a route-based cognitive map where certain landmarks are integral to their nightly movement. Few studies have specifically focused on strepsirrhine spatial cognition in the wild; here, we show the navigational mechanism used by the Javan slow loris to reach distant/out-of-sight resources. The evident reliance on spatial cognition in a strepsirrhine species suggest that it could be an important selective pressure for primates at the earliest stages of primate cognitive evolution. In addition to the importance of spatial memory in theoretical discourse, understanding slow loris movement has practical applications to conservation, particularly regarding the numerous translocations undertaken by individuals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. We discuss the importance of considering soft release training and monitoring in such releases. Full article