Categories
Behaviour Research

The importance of bees: more than honey

Ever wondered why you should care about bees?

Here’s a fact: bees are responsible for the successful production of around a third of the food you eat.

As one of our oldest domesticated animals, bees and people share an amazing history.

But the future is uncertain, with devastating global declines in both feral and managed populations.

Boris Baer and Barbara Baer-Imhoof, in conjunction with their colleagues at the Centre for Integrative Bee Research at the University of Western Australia, are researching many aspects of honey bees, in the field and in the lab.

In our first episode featuring an invertebrate species, we learn more about our relationship with bees, what would happen if they vanish and ways we can help them thrive.

Podcast

Video – More Than Honey Trailer

Bees! More than Honey trailer

Publications

Boris Baer & Barbara Baer-Imhoof – The importance of bees. Photo: Andrew Ritchie

Stuerup, M., Baer-Imhoof, B., Nash, D. R., Boomsma, J. J. & Baer, B. When every sperm counts: factors affecting male fertility in the honeybee Apis mellifera, . Behav. Ecol. 24(5): 1192-1198. View online at Behavioral Ecology.

Baer, B. (2009) CIBER: A new research initiative for the study of honeybees in Western Australia. The Australian Beekeeper. 111:16-17. 

Imhoof B., Schmid-Hempel, P. 1999. Colony success of the bumble bee, Bombus terrestris, in relation to infections by two protozoan parasites, Crithidia bombi and Nosema bombi. Insectes Sociaux 46: 233-238.

Links

Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER)

CIBER on Facebook


Header image: Flickr/StephenBegin

Categories
Therapy

Do children on the autistic spectrum benefit from assistance dogs?

How do parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive the value of assistance dogs?

It’s a new area of research for Louise Burgoyne at the University College Cork in Ireland.

Louise holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health, a Masters in Marketing and a Bachelor of Art in Applied Psychology.

She also has a gorgeous German Shepherd, named Kyla, who she participates with in search and rescue, as an Irish Search Dog member.

In this episode, we hear from Louise about her research investigating the effects of assistance dogs to children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

Podcast

Publications

Autism assistance dogs - Louise Burgoyne
Louise Burgoyne

Burgoyne, L., Dowling, L., Fitzgerald, A., Connolly, M., Browne, J. P., & Perry, I. J. (2014). Parents’ perspectives on the value of assistance dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 4(6): e004786. [Open Access]

Berry, A., Borgi, M., Francia, N., Alleva, E., & Cirulli, F. (2013). Use of assistance and therapy dogs for children with autism spectrum disorders: A critical review of the current evidenceThe Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine19(2), 73-80.

O’Haire, M. E. (2013). Animal-assisted intervention for autism spectrum disorder: A systematic literature review. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 43(7), 1606-1622.

Davis, B. W., Nattrass, K., O’Brien, S., Patronek, G., & MacCollin, M. (2004). Assistance dog placement in the pediatric population: Benefits, risks, and recommendations for future applicationAnthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals17(2), 130-145.

Links

Louise Burgoyne: University College Cork Profile

Louise’s other publications on Research Gate

Video – What is autism (a quick refresher)

What is autism?

Header image via Flickr/Paolo Manalac

Categories
Animal Welfare Pets

Boarding kennels: are dog kennels cruel?

What happens when your scientific study results contradict all previous research in that area?

Science can be surprising, and for Dr Lisa Collins, researcher in Animal Health and Welfare Epidemiology at the University of Lincoln, UK, that’s part of the challenge – and the fun!

Lisa’s research focuses on the development and application of mathematical and statistical methods for the study of animal health and welfare in a wide range of species.

She has recently led three research projects to investigate the welfare of kennelled dogs.

This includes a 3-year study conducted in dog rehoming centres, where the aim was to develop a tool to assess Quality of Life based on a wide range of novel and traditional welfare indicators.

Lisa has been awarded a number of prizes for her work, including the 2014 British Science Association Charles Darwin award for excellence in science communication, and the 2010 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare’s Young Animal Welfare Scientist of the Year award.

In this episode, we speak with Lisa about her work comparing the welfare physiology and behaviour of pets dogs at home and in a boarding kennel environment, with some unexpected findings.

Are dog kennels cruel? Let’s find out.

Podcast

Publications

Dr. Lisa Collins – Are dog kennels cruel?

Kiddie, J. L., & Collins, L. M. (2014). Development and validation of a quality of life assessment tool for use in kennelled dogs (Canis familiaris)Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 158, 57-68.

Part, C. E., Kiddie, J. L., Hayes, W., Mills, D., Neville, R. F., Morton, D. B., & Collins, L. M. (2014). Physiological, physical and behavioural changes in dogs (Canis familiaris) when kennelled: Testing the validity of stress parametersPhysiology & behavior, 133, 260-271.

Collins, L. M. (2012). Welfare risk assessment: the benefits and common pitfallsAnimal Welfare21(Supplement 1), 73-79.

Asher, L., Collins, L. M., Ortiz-Pelaez, A., Drewe, J. A., Nicol, C. J., & Pfeiffer, D. U. (2009). Recent advances in the analysis of behavioural organization and interpretation as indicators of animal welfareJournal of the Royal Society Interface, doi:10.1098/rsif.2009.0221.

More publications by Dr. Lisa Collins via ResearchGate

Links

Lisa Collins on Twitter

LinkedIn: Lisa Collins


Header image: Flickr/Jeff Hill

Categories
Psychology Therapy

Serious fun: animal assisted play therapy

Most of us know that playing with dogs and horses can be fun, but have you ever considered how important animal-assisted play might be in psychological therapy for people?

Dr. Risë VanFleet is the Founder of the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center in the United States, an organisation specialising in the training and supervision of child, family, and play therapy professionals, as well as the provision of mental health services for children and families.

She is a psychologist and author of several books, who focuses on strengthening family relationships through play, and has specialties in chronic medical illness, disaster mental health, child and family trauma and attachment interventions using play therapy, filial therapy, and the training and involvement of animals in assisted play therapy.

It’s this area of using animals, particularly dogs and horses, in play as a mode of therapy for people that we learn about with Risë in this episode.

Podcast

Publications

Dr. Risë VanFleet - Animal assisted play therapy
Dr. Risë VanFleet

VanFleet, R. (2008) Play Therapy with Kids and Canines: Benefits for Children’s Developmental and Psychosocial Health. Professional Resource Press (Book)

VanFleet, R. & Faa-Thompson, T. (2012) The power of play, multiplied. Play Therapy, 70, 7-10. (PDF)

VanFleet, R., & Faa-Thompson, T. (2010). The case for using animal-assisted play therapyBritish Journal of Play Therapy6, 4-18. (PDF)

Thompson, M. J. (2009). Animal-assisted play therapy: Canines as co-therapistsCompelling counseling interventions: VISTAS, 199-209. (PDF)

Odendaal, J. (2000). Animal-assisted therapy—magic or medicine? Journal of psychosomatic research49(4), 275-280.

Links

Risë VanFleet’s website: www.risevanfleet.com

Playful Pooch animal-assisted therapy website

The Clothier Animal Response Assessment Tool (CARAT)


Header image: Flickr/Matteo Paciotti

Categories
Archaeology

Zooarchaeology: bones to answer beastly questions

This episode of Human Animal Science will change the way you look at a chicken wishbone, forever!

Naomi Sykes is an Associate Professor in Zooarchaeology (the study of human-animal relationships in archaeology) at the University of Nottingham, UK.

Her research focuses on human-animal-landscape relationships and how they inform us about the structure, beliefs and practices of past societies.

Naomi’s approach in the exciting area of zooarchaeology has wide application across different geographical areas and time.

Her fascinating research integrates animal bone data with other categories of physical culture, and with wider archaeological, historical, scientific and anthropological discussions.

Podcast

Books

Beastly Questions: Animal Answers to Archaeological Issues, Naomi Sykes
Beastly Questions

Sykes, N. (2014) Beastly Questions: Animal Answers to Archaeological Issues, Bloomsbury Academic.

Publications

Sykes, N. (2012) A social perspective on the introduction of exotic animals: the case of the British chicken, World Archaeology 44(1): 158-169.

Sykes, N. (2004). The dynamics of status symbols: Wildfowl exploitation in England AD 410–1550The Archaeological Journal161, 82-105.

Links

Naomi Sykes - Zooarchaeologist
Naomi Sykes – Zooarchaeologist

Beastly Questions (book) profile: Bloomsbury

Cultural and scientific perceptions of human-chicken interactions (SciCultChickens)

Header image: Flickr/Juan Chamorro

Categories
Animal Welfare Pets Research

Wild behaviour: the science of why cats like boxes

Sandra McCune holds a PhD that examined the temperament and welfare of caged cats as well as qualifications in vet nursing and zoology. She knows the answer to why cats like boxes, and the science behind it.

In her current role as the Scientific Leader for Human-Animal Interaction at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, she manages a large portfolio of collaborative research projects.

These projects cover many aspects of human-animal interaction, in countries including US, UK, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Australia.

In addition to having written research papers and book chapters on several aspects of cat behaviour, cognition, welfare and nutrition, Sandra has lectured and advised many animal shelters, ethologists, animal welfarists, and groups of vets and vet nurses.

Sandra is sought out as a voice within industry and regularly speaks at international conferences on pet ownership issues and the bond between people and pets.

Today we’re talking to Sandra about pet cats, their incomplete domestication, our attachment to them and the behavioural links between wild big cats, and the cat in your home.

We also find out why cats like boxes!

Podcast

Books

Sandra McCune - why cats like boxes
Sandra McCune

McCune, S. (2010) Book chapter: ‘The domestic cat’. In: The UFAW handbook on the care and management of laboratory animals. 8th edition. Longman Scientific & Technical, Harlow.

McCardle, P, McCune, S, Griffin, J A and Maholmes, V (Eds.) (2011) How Animals Affect Us: Examining the Influence of Human-Animal Interaction on Child Development and Human HealthWashington, DC: American Psychological Association Press. 2011

Kurt Kotrschal, Jon Day, Sandra McCune and Manuela Wedl (2013) Human and cat personalities: building the bond from both sides. Chapter 9 In: Dennis Turner and Pat Bateson (Editors) The domestic Cat: The biology of its behaviour. CUP, Cambridge

Publications

Sandra McCune, Katherine A. Kruger, James A. Griffin, Layla Esposito, Lisa S. Freund, Karyl J. Hurley, and Regina Bures. (2014) Evolution of research into the mutual benefits of human–animal interactionAnimal Frontiers vol. 4 no. 3 49-5

Carri Westgarth, Lynne M Boddy, Gareth Stratton, Alexander J German, Rosalind M Gaskell, Karen P Coyne, Peter Bundred, Sandra McCune and Susan Dawson. (2013) Pet ownership, dog types and attachment to pets in 9–10 year old children in Liverpool, UK. BMC Veterinary Research, 9:102

Sandra McCune (1995)The impact of paternity and early socialisation on the development of cats’ behaviour to people and novel objects. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 45(1–2): 111–126.

Links

Waltham Human-Animal Interaction Research

Waltham Science Publications & Resources

Video – Why cats like boxes

Why cats like boxes

Header image via Flickr:klengel

Categories
Psychology

Positive psychology: identifying how we thrive

Dr. Pauleen Bennett is Director of Regional Operations in the School of Psychological Science at La Trobe University.

Pauleen combines her academic work at La Trobe with a range of community activities designed to improve human-companion animal relationships.

She leads a highly productive team of researchers at the Anthrozoology Research Group and is director and chair of the Australian Anthrozoology Research Foundation, a non-profit foundation set up to raise money to support students investigating the potential benefits for human health of engaging with companion animals.

Pauleen has adjunct appointments at Monash University and The Ohio State University (USA) and enjoys spending her free time hanging out on her farm with her dogs, horses and goats.

In this episode (#19) we talk to Pauleen about the exciting but relatively new field of positive psychology.

Podcast

Publications

Dr Pauleen Bennett- What is anthrozoology - positive psychology in animals
Dr. Pauleen Bennett

Bennett, P. C. (2013) Why science can’t really tell us whether pets are good for health. The Conversation.

King, T., Marston, L.C., and Bennett, P.C. (2012). Breeding dogs for beauty and behaviour: why scientists need to do more to develop valid and reliable behaviour assessments for dogs kept as companions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 137, 1-12.

Bennett, P.C. (2010). Putting the pieces together: using science to improve relationships between people and their canine companions. Canine Science Forum, July 25-28, Vienna, Austria.

Bennett, P.C. (2010). People, pets and positive psychology (transcribed from Radio Australia). Second Australian Positive Psychology and Well-Being Conference, February 12-13, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia.

McGreevy, P.M., & Bennett, P.C. (2010). Challenges and paradoxes in the companion-animal niche. Animal Welfare, 19, 11-16

Many more publications available via Pauleen’s LaTrobe University Profile

Links

Anthrozoology Research Group | ARG on Facebook | ARG  on TwitterAARF on Twitter

Pauleen on YouTube for AARF

Dr. Pauleen Bennet on YouTube – What is Anthrozoology?

Header image: Flickr/bunchesandbits

Categories
Psychology

Sam Gosling: Animal personality

Sam Gosling is a psychologist based at the University of Texas at Austin in the USA.

His research interests include social perception, new methods of data collection online and cross-species work, where he examines how animals can inform theories of personality and social psychology.

We talked with Sam about how science can help us measure animal personality traits (non-human) across a number of species, including hyenas, dogs, and even invertebrates, like squid.

Podcast

Publications

Sam Gosling discusses animal personalities
Sam Gosling

Gosling, S. D., & John, O. P. (1999). Personality dimensions in nonhuman animals a cross-species reviewCurrent Directions in Psychological Science,8(3), 69-75.

Gosling, S. D. (2001). From mice to men: what can we learn about personality from animal research?. Psychological bulletin127(1), 45.

Gosling, S. D., & Vazire, S. (2002). Are we barking up the right tree? Evaluating a comparative approach to personality. Journal of Research in Personality,36(6), 607-614.

Gosling, S. D. (2008). Personality in Non‐human AnimalsSocial and Personality Psychology Compass2(2), 985-1001.

Sinn, D. L., Gosling, S. D., & Hilliard, S. (2010). Personality and performance in military working dogs: Reliability and predictive validity of behavioral tests. Applied Animal Behaviour Science127(1), 51-65.

Links

Gosling Lab at the University of Texas, Austin


Top image via Flickr/malingering

Categories
Animal Welfare Community

Healthy communities: dogs and people

Sophie Constable, Education Officer at Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC), has training as a veterinarian, in Indigenous education, and in public health.

She has worked in the field in pet education programs in urban, rural and remote Indigenous communities.

In this episode of Human Animal Science, we chat to Sophie about her research exploring the place of dogs in modern Indigenous communities in Australia and how best to promote the mutual health of dogs and communities.

Podcast

Publications

Sophie Constable

Constable, S. E., Brown, G., Dixon, R. M., & Dixon, R. (2008). Healing the hand that feeds you: exploring solutions for Dog and Community Health and Welfare in Australian Indigenous culturesFaculty of Education-Papers, 219-229.

Constable, S., Dixon, R., & Dixon, R. (2010). For the Love of Dog: The Human Dog Bond in Rural and Remote Australian Indigenous Communities .Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals23(4), 337-349.

Constable, S. E., Dixon, R. M., Dixon, R. J., & Toribio, J. A. (2013). Approaches to dog health education programs in Australian rural and remote Indigenous communities: four case studiesHealth promotion international,28(3), 322-332.

Links

AMRRIC

Aboriginal dog
Dogs in aboriginal indigenous communities
Dogs in aboriginal indigenous communities
Dogs in aboriginal indigenous communities
Images courtesy of AMRRIC
Categories
Community

Hope and freedom: Street dogs of Bosnia

Stephen Jenkinson is the United Kingdom’s only specialist in behavioural psychology and its practical application to influence the behaviour of walkers with dogs.

Stephen holds a Master of Science (MSc) and post-graduate Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling.

In 2013, the United Nations Development Program contacted International Fund for Animal Welfare for help in managing the issue of roaming dogs in Bosnia as a serious community safety issue.

Dog advocates had been attempting to control packs of street dogs through limited catch-sterilize-and-return programs or placing dogs into newly constructed shelters, but the programs were not working and people did not feel safe.

Bosnia needed a different approach – and that’s where Steve became involved…

Podcast

Links

International Fund for Animal Welfare: Partnering with UN Development Program to help dogs in Bosnia

Your Dog (Feb 2014) article: A better life for the Street dogs of Bosnia? By Stephen Jenkinson (PDF)

Publications

Lowe, C. N., Williams, K. S., Jenkinson, S., & Toogood, M. (2014). Environmental and social impacts of domestic dog waste in the UK: investigating barriers to behavioural change in dog walkers. International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 13(4), 331-347. (PDF)

Jenkinson, S. (2014) Commercial Dog Walkers in the Outdoors: Attitudes, Engagement and Opportunities (PDF)

Jenkinson, S. (2013) Planning for dog ownership in new developments: reducing conflict – adding value (PDF)

Images: Flickr/viciousbits