The impacts of ear disease on animal welfare and behaviour are little documented. Ear disease may be common in rabbits, but difficult to recognise, and lop-ears have previously been indicated as a ...risk factor for ear disease. We aimed to better understand the range of ear conditions in pet rabbits, signalment risk factors, and impacts on welfare and behaviour. Through an online questionnaire, we investigated owner-reported signalment, veterinary diagnosis of ear conditions, impaired hearing, and ear pain for UK pet rabbits. Relationships between ear condition measures and ear conformation, quality of life, and behaviour were analysed using logistic regression. Of 551 valid responses, 28.5% of rabbits reportedly had experienced ear conditions; 21.2% diagnosed or mentioned by vets, with otitis and excess cerumen most common. Approximately 25% of lop-eared rabbits had ear conditions indicated by a vet versus 10% of erect-eared rabbits. Lop-eared, half-lop, and older rabbits were most at risk (P<0.050). Rabbits reported as showing ear pain responses had reduced owner-reported quality of life compared with other rabbits (P<0.050). Rabbits with ear problems were less likely to be responsive to relevant sounds, and performed binky behaviour (joy jumps) less frequently, than rabbits without such issues. Understanding prevalence and risk factors for ear conditions is critical to improving welfare standards across this widely owned pet species. The findings suggest that improved recognition and treatment of ear conditions, and avoiding breeding from rabbits with early signs, or a family history, of ear disease are necessary to help combat this animal welfare issue.
•The paper examines the trade impact on spreading EU values on animal welfare.•It focuses on major legal topics: intensive breeding, transport, slaughter methods.•Firstly, EU standards are identified ...and explored in relation to the main issues.•Secondly, Argentina and Brazil are analyzed as Mercosur's main trading country.•The analysis shows that both Argentina and Brazil adopt rules “mirroring” EU law.
The paper analyzes the impact of trade relations between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur with its member states (Argentina, and Brazil, in particular), on the adoption of legislation on animal welfare inspired by the EU model. In the first part, the paper focuses on the historical roots of the European framework, which led “animal welfare” to become an EU value. Then, it briefly explores the EU legal instrument dedicated to breeding, transport and commercialization of animals, identified as core issues when dealing with international trade. Finally, it examines how Argentina and Brazil have adapted their national rules to the European model, thanks to a “mirroring” legislation strategy. In conclusion, the analysis shows how trade relations with the EU have an impact on the worldwide diffusion of European standards.
Early life stress compromises brain development and can contribute to the development of mental illnesses. A common animal model used to study different facets of psychiatric disorders is social ...isolation from early life on. In rats, this isolation can induce long-lasting alterations in molecular expression and in behavior. Since social isolation models severe psychiatric symptoms, it is to be expected that it affects the overall wellbeing of the animals. As also promoted by the 3Rs principle, though, it is pivotal to decrease the burden of laboratory animals by limiting the number of subjects (reduce, replace) and by improving the animals' wellbeing (refine). The aim of this study was therefore to test possible refinement strategies such as resocialization and mere adult social isolation. We examined whether the alternatives still triggered the necessary phenotype while minimizing the stress load on the animals. Interestingly, we did not find reduced wellbeing-associated burrowing performance in isolated rats. The hyperactive phenotype seen in socially isolated animals was observed for rats undergoing the adult-only isolation, but resocializing ameliorated the locomotor abnormality. Isolation strongly affected markers of neuroplasticity in the prefrontal cortex independent of timing: mRNA levels of Arc, Bdnf and the pool of Bdnf transcripts with the 3' long UTR were reduced in all groups. Bdnf splice variant IV expression was reduced in lifelong-isolated animals. Some of these deficits normalized after resocialization; likewise, exon VI Bdnf mRNA levels were reduced only in animals persistently isolated. Conversely, social deprivation did not affect the expression of Gad67 and Pvb, two GABAergic markers, whereas changes occurred in the expression of dopamine d1 and d2 receptors. As adult isolation was sufficient to trigger the hyperactive phenotype and impaired neuroplasticity in the prefrontal cortex, it could be a candidate for a refinement strategy for certain research questions. To fully grade the severity of post-weaning social isolation and the alternatives, adult isolation and resocialization, a more profound and multimodal assessment approach is necessary.
Resumen: Este trabajo examina la profunda transformación del marco jurídico español en materia de protección y bienestar animal. Inicia con un repaso de la legislación preexistente, tanto estatal ...como autonómica, y analiza el impacto de directivas comunitarias de la Unión Europea en la normativa nacional. Posteriormente, se desglosan las novedades introducidas por la Ley Orgánica 3/2023, que modifica el Código Penal, y la Ley 7/2023 de Bienestar Animal, destacando sus principales objetivos e impactos. Se ofrece una comparativa entre el régimen jurídico anterior y las reformas de 2023, abordando retos, beneficios y aplicaciones prácticas. Concluye con reflexiones sobre la relevancia de estas reformas, proyecciones futuras y recomendaciones para su aplicación y adaptación efectiva. Abstract: This paper examines the profound transformation of the Spanish legal framework concerning animal protection and welfare. It begins with a review of the pre-existing legislation, both state and autonomous, and analyzes the impact of European Union community directives on national regulations. Subsequently, the novelties introduced by Organic Law 3/2023, which amends the Penal Code, and Law 7/2023 on Animal Welfare are detailed, highlighting their main objectives and implications. A comparison is offered between the previous legal regime and the 2023 reforms, addressing challenges, benefits, and practical applications. It concludes with reflections on the relevance of these reforms, future projections, and recommendations for their effective application and adaptation.
Translational biomedical research relies on animal experiments and provides the underlying proof of practice for clinical trials, which places an increased duty of care on translational researchers ...to derive the maximum possible output from every experiment performed. The implementation of open science practices has the potential to initiate a change in research culture that could improve the transparency and quality of translational research in general, as well as increasing the audience and scientific reach of published research. However, open science has become a buzzword in the scientific community that can often miss mark when it comes to practical implementation. In this Essay, we provide a guide to open science practices that can be applied throughout the research process, from study design, through data collection and analysis, to publication and dissemination, to help scientists improve the transparency and quality of their work. As open science practices continue to evolve, we also provide an online toolbox of resources that we will update continually.
This study investigated age-related changes in turkey welfare measures (wounds, feather quality (FQ), feather cleanliness, and footpad condition (FCON)) and walking ability (gait) as influenced by ...different types of environmental enrichment (EE). Tom turkeys (n = 420) were randomly assigned to: straw bale (S), platform (P), platform + straw bale (PS), pecking block (B), tunnel (T) or control (C; no enrichment) group. Welfare measures and gait were assessed at 8, 12, 16 and 19 wk and analyzed using PROC LOGISTIC with Firth bias-correction. Better wing FQ with age was observed in turkeys in S and T groups. Turkeys in the S group had better wing FQ at 16 (P = 0.028) and 19 wk (P = 0.011) vs. 8 wk. Wing FQ (P = 0.008) was better at 19 vs. 8 wk for T turkeys. FCON worsened over time for turkeys in all treatment groups except for the S group. FCON was worse at 19 vs.8 wk for P (P = 0.024), PS (P = 0.039), B (P = 0.011), T (P = 0.004) and C (P = 0.014) turkeys and was worse at 19 vs. 12 wk for B (P = 0.038), T (P = 0.015) and C (P = 0.045) turkeys. FCON was worse at 19 vs. 16 wk for T (P = 0.007) and C (P = 0.048) turkeys. FCON was also worse at 16 vs. 8 wk for B (P = 0.046) turkeys. Gait worsened with increasing age in all treatment groups. Gait was worse at 19 wk for S (P < 0.001), P (P < 0.001), PS (P < 0.001) and B turkeys (P < 0.001) vs. earlier ages, while gait in T (P < 0.001) and C turkeys (P < 0.001) worsened starting at 16 wk.
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