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Veterinary Sciences
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Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of...
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Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals

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: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 35912

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Danila d’Angelo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy
Interests: animal health; animal cognition; animal behavior; animal physiology; animal welfare; ethol-ogy; human-dog relationship; dog behavior; shelter dog
Dr. Claudia Gatta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy
Interests: brain; dog behavior; marine mammals; veterinary medicine; animal welfare; ethology; hu-man-dog relationship; neuroscience; animal cognition
Dr. Luigi Sacchettino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy
Interests: animal behavior; animal physiology; veterinary medicine; animal welfare; ethology; animal pain; microbiota-gut-behavior axis; human-dog relationship

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic imposed an abrupt termination of social contact and interpersonal affective relationships around the world for a period whose duration depended on national directives. Many inconveniences occurred with important repercussions also on the physical and emotional state of people and animals.

Understanding the current impacts of COVID-19 on the health, behavior, welfare, and relationship of pets and other animals is essential to protect and improve the welfare of animals and cohabiting humans. Several studies have shown the beneficial role of the relationship between human animals during the pandemic so far experienced, but what is the real impact on the lives of animals?

For this reason, we are pleased to invite you at this Special Issue that aims to publish original research works or reviews on “Impacts of COVID-19 on the Health, Behavior, Welfare, and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals”.

We call on researchers to contribute their recent findings, especially focusing on, but not limited to, the following areas:

  • The effect of the stress on pets during the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Welfare of companion animals, exotic animals, equids, and farm, wild, and zoo animals during the pandemic;
  • Effects of forced human–animal cohabitation;
  • Behavioral changes in animals due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic;
  • Impact of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic on chronic animal diseases (physical and behavioral);
  • Effect of the pandemic on behavioral development of animals;
  • Impact of the pandemic on ecology, behavioral ecology, and animal communication;
  • Role of the pandemic on immune, urogenital, dermatological, cardiac, gastrointestinal, metabolic, and osteoarticular diseases.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Danila d’Angelo
Dr. Claudia Gatta
Dr. Luigi Sacchettino
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • COVID-19
  • animal welfare
  • ethology
  • human–animal relationships
  • behavior
  • animal health
  • pets
  • pandemic
  • lockdown
  • ecology

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 527 KiB  
Article
Puppies Raised during the COVID-19 Lockdown Showed Fearful and Aggressive Behaviors in Adulthood: An Italian Survey
by Luigi Sacchettino, Claudia Gatta, Andrea Chirico, Luigi Avallone, Francesco Napolitano and Danila d’Angelo
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(3), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10030198 - 5 Mar 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3610
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister’s decree issued by the Italian government on 9 March 2020, known as “#Iorestoacasa” (I stay at home), required everyone to stay indoors, with a few exceptions, from 11 March to 3 May 2020. This decree had [...] Read more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister’s decree issued by the Italian government on 9 March 2020, known as “#Iorestoacasa” (I stay at home), required everyone to stay indoors, with a few exceptions, from 11 March to 3 May 2020. This decree had a substantial impact on the mental health of both people and dogs. We carried out a national survey to compare the personalities of adult dogs who were puppies in lockdown (from March to May 2020) with those of adult dogs born after that time (from June 2020 to February 2021). Our results highlighted a significant increase in personality traits related to fear and aggression in dogs who experienced lockdown restrictions during their socialization period, further confirming that the COVID-19 pandemic strongly impacted the behavioral development of dogs. Therefore, it may be advantageous for these dogs to be closely monitored by veterinary behaviorists and receive specialized behavioral rehabilitation therapy to lower the risk of episodes of aggression and fearfulness as well as to increase the wellbeing of dogs raised under social restrictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
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24 pages, 306 KiB  
Article
Changes in Dog Behaviour Associated with the COVID-19 Lockdown, Pre-Existing Separation-Related Problems and Alterations in Owner Behaviour
by Emila-Grace Sherwell, Eirini Panteli, Tracy Krulik, Alexandra Dilley, Holly Root-Gutteridge and Daniel S. Mills
Vet. Sci. 2023, 10(3), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10030195 - 4 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4911
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns provided an opportunity to assess what factors, including changes in an owner’s routine and time spent at home, were associated with changes in dog behaviour. We undertook a longitudinal survey over a period of 8 months during which [...] Read more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns provided an opportunity to assess what factors, including changes in an owner’s routine and time spent at home, were associated with changes in dog behaviour. We undertook a longitudinal survey over a period of 8 months during which we asked about people’s work patterns, dog management, and their dogs’ behaviour. Generalized linear models revealed that the pre-existence of signs of potential separation-related problems, and especially vocalisation, self-injury, and chewing to escape confinement, was associated with an increase in a range of separation issues. Dogs showing separation-related signs prior to COVID were also more likely to develop more problems during lockdown. Management changes tended to result in increased physical and social stress, with a range of potential compensatory actions taken by the dog, however these signs of stress did not generally appear to be connected to separation-related issues. Survival analysis was used to investigate the emergence of specific issues over time. This indicated that a change to working from home was related initially to a decreased risk of aggression towards the owner, but over time, those who continued to work from the home were at an increased risk of this problem. No other significant time-related relationships were found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
9 pages, 228 KiB  
Article
Mass Depopulation of Swine during COVID-19: An Exploration of Swine Veterinarians’ Perspectives
by Cori Bussolari, Wendy Packman, Jennifer Currin-McCulloch, Elizabeth Strand and Lori Kogan
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(10), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100563 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2929
Abstract
This qualitative study (n = 25) was created to better understand the mental health of U.S. swine veterinarians who were involved in the mass depopulation events related to COVID-19. A total of 25 swine veterinarians, participants in a previous larger quantitative study, volunteered [...] Read more.
This qualitative study (n = 25) was created to better understand the mental health of U.S. swine veterinarians who were involved in the mass depopulation events related to COVID-19. A total of 25 swine veterinarians, participants in a previous larger quantitative study, volunteered to be interviewed about their experiences related to the COVID-19 mass depopulation event. Themes that emerged from these interviews included: (1) the need to be better prepared for crisis events; (2) lack of public understanding; (3) moral distress; (4) empathy for others, especially young veterinarians; (5) sources of support; (6) pride, honor and gratitude; and (7) an overarching theme of emotional distancing and detachment—concerns external to one’s own mental health. Based on our results, we recommend additional training and supportive services for those who might be involved in future depopulation efforts. Additionally, we suggest that the veterinary profession prioritize public education campaigns to help the public better understand the need for depopulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
14 pages, 1289 KiB  
Article
Cat–Owner Relationship and Cat Behaviour: Effects of the COVID-19 Confinement and Implications for Feline Management
by Giacomo Riggio, Carmen Borrelli, Patrizia Piotti, Anna Grondona, Angelo Gazzano, Francesco P. Di Iacovo, Jaume Fatjó, Jonathan E. Bowen, Daniel Mota-Rojas, Federica Pirrone and Chiara Mariti
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(7), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9070369 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6146
Abstract
The restrictive measures implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19 abruptly changed the lives of many cats and their owners. This study explored whether the lockdown in Italy affected the cat–owner relationship, as well as cat behaviour and welfare. A survey that included [...] Read more.
The restrictive measures implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19 abruptly changed the lives of many cats and their owners. This study explored whether the lockdown in Italy affected the cat–owner relationship, as well as cat behaviour and welfare. A survey that included questions on owner and cat’s demographics, living environment, cat behaviour and a modified version of the Cat/Dog Relationship Scale (C/DORS) was distributed online during the lockdown and was completed by 548 cat owners, mainly women (81.6%). With regard to the C/DORS subscales, both emotional closeness and cat–owner interactions increased during confinement, as opposed to a reduction in perceived costs. The effect of the type of job, family role and owner’s age on the C/DORS scores suggests that the relationship improved for those owners that, due to the lockdown, increased the time spent with their cats. For 58.8% of respondents, their cat’s general behaviour did not change, but when changes occurred, they were mostly positive (20.4%). Attention-seeking and demanding behaviours were the most increased during lockdown (25.7%). Cats with pre-existing problematic behaviours tended to either remain stable or improve during confinement. The overall positive effects of lockdown-related environmental changes on a cat’s behaviour suggest that some aspects of commonly implemented cat management practices should be revised to improve cat welfare in normal circumstances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
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18 pages, 1227 KiB  
Article
Pet Owners’ Perceptions of COVID-19, Zoonotic Disease, and Veterinary Medicine: The Impact of Demographic Characteristics
by Lauren Powell, Tyler M. Lavender, Chelsea L. Reinhard and Brittany Watson
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(5), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050195 - 19 Apr 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5465
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on pet owners’ concern about the transmission of zoonotic disease and SARS-CoV-2, and to describe owners’ perceptions of veterinarians and physicians as resources for zoonoses information. Between September and October 2020, 1154 individuals [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on pet owners’ concern about the transmission of zoonotic disease and SARS-CoV-2, and to describe owners’ perceptions of veterinarians and physicians as resources for zoonoses information. Between September and October 2020, 1154 individuals completed an online survey via Qualtrics. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between owner demographics and perceptions of zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2. Most participants were minimally concerned about their pets contracting or transmitting zoonotic diseases or SARS-CoV-2, although perceptions of risk differed based on age, race, and education. Older participants were typically less concerned about the transmission of zoonotic diseases and SARS-CoV-2. Considering where participants obtained information about zoonoses, pet owners were more likely to contact their veterinarian for advice (43%) than their physician (17%). However, 17% of pet owners struggled to access veterinary care, and 51% said their access to veterinary care had become more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight a need for further education about zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2, and suggest veterinarians may play a key role in these communications. The results also emphasize the need to address access to care issues in veterinary medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
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12 pages, 659 KiB  
Article
Motivations of Human Helping Behavior towards Dogs
by Serenella d’Ingeo, Gabriele Ferlisi, Michele Minunno, Giovanni L. Palmisano, Gianluca Ventriglia, Marcello Siniscalchi and Angelo Quaranta
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(3), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9030145 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 11700
Abstract
Human–dog interactions have a positive effect on human sociality and health. The relationship with dogs helps humans to cope with stress during an emotionally challenging period, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, a growing global interest in pets has been registered, [...] Read more.
Human–dog interactions have a positive effect on human sociality and health. The relationship with dogs helps humans to cope with stress during an emotionally challenging period, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, a growing global interest in pets has been registered, including the volunteering for shelter/stray dog protection. However, a considerable increase of human dysfunctional interventions toward dogs has been observed in Southern Italy. In this study, we investigated the psychological characteristics of humans volunteering at animal shelter or engaged in stray dog protection. The effect of psychological training and education about dog ethological needs on volunteers’ helping behavior was also analyzed. We report that the intervention can improve volunteers’ physiological features and, consequently, may enhance human management and dog welfare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Health, Behavior, Welfare and Relationship of Companion Animals and Other Animals)
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