Abstract
Many puppies from commercial breeding kennels (CBKs) are transported by ground from their kennels of origin to a distributor. This experience may elicit fear and stress during a sensitive developmental period, which may in turn negatively impact the puppies’ short- and long-term welfare. This study aimed to measure short-term effects of transportation on puppy welfare metrics. Eight-week-old puppies (n = 383) from 12 CBKs were tested at their kennels (pre-trans) and ~48 h after arriving at a distributor (post-trans). At each location, puppies underwent an isolation test, a stranger-approach test, and a physical health assessment. Behavioral responses to testing were scored from videos. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM), fecal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), and presence of intestinal parasites were also analyzed. Linear mixed-effects models identified decreased exploration (p < 0.001), and increased locomotion (p < 0.001) and escape attempts (p = 0.001) during the post-trans isolation test. Increased affiliative behavior (p < 0.001), FGM (p < 0.001) and sIgA (p = 0.014) were also observed post-trans. Findings support good physical health both pre- and post-trans, while behavioral and physiological changes suggest increased puppy distress post-trans. Higher post-transport affiliative behavior may indicate that puppies sought social support as a coping strategy after experiencing transport-related distress. Future studies should explore the efficacy of transportation-related interventions to mitigate puppy distress.
Subject
General Veterinary,Animal Science and Zoology
Reference87 articles.
1. Fish Transport in the Aquaculture Sector: An Overview of the Road Transport of Atlantic Salmon in Tasmania;King;J. Vet. Behav.,2009
2. Challenges to Animal Welfare during Transportation of Wild Mammals: A Review (1990–2020);Pohlin;J. Zoo Wildl. Med.,2021
3. Road Transport of Cattle, Swine and Poultry in North America and Its Impact on Animal Welfare, Carcass and Meat Quality: A Review;Faucitano;Meat Sci.,2012
4. The Effects of Land Transport on Animal Welfare;Broom;Rev. Sci. Tech.,2005
5. Sikkema, R., Schrijver, R., Dewar, D., Vries, H., Bergevoet, R.H.M., Messori, S., Barnard, S., and D’Albenzio, S. (2022, October 13). Study on the Welfare of Dogs and Cats Involved in Commercial Practices (Specific Contract SANCO 2013/12364) 2015. Available online: https://food.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2016-10/aw_eu-strategy_study_dogs-cats-commercial-practices_en.pdf.
Cited by
2 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献