Playtime is purr-fect for your cat"s welfare
Play is often considered an indicator and promotor of animal welfare. Playing with your cat may also nurture closer cat-human bonds. In a new study, scientists have investigated these links by applying in-depth empirical methods to analyze data gathe.....»»
We now know how cats purr—why they purr is still up for debate
Studies of excised cat larynxes reveal role of connective tissues embedded in vocal folds. Enlarge / "They excised what, now?" Puck is nonetheless intrigued by new findings about the mechanisms behind a cat's purr. (credit: Jenni.....»»
Social work research explores the effects of "enduring relationships" for older youth in foster care
Historically, if youth in foster care didn't have a biological or adoptive parent to turn to at age 18, they were released from the child welfare system, often with few resources and even less support. But in 2008, a federal law was passed that gave.....»»
Welfare supporters better informed than skeptics, study suggests
People who support greater state involvement in delivering services know more about economics and welfare provision than those favoring smaller government, research suggests......»»
In 200 years of animal welfare concerns, cruelty remains a significant issue, researcher says
Dr. Helen Cowie from the University of York's Department of History is investigating human-animal relationships throughout history and has found that what society considers "traditional" and "long-standing" interactions with animals is a much more re.....»»
Iceland to resume whaling under stricter conditions
Iceland's government said that whaling could resume Friday with stricter conditions and monitoring, after it decided not to extend a temporary two-month ban imposed amid animal welfare concerns......»»
Cape Cod strands more dolphins than anywhere else. Now they"re getting their own hospital
When members of the marine mammal team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare rush to a Cape Cod beach to help a stranded dolphin or porpoise, they have no choice but to treat the endangered animal on site and then immediately release it......»»
Did sabertooth tigers purr or roar? The answer may lie in a tiny string of bones
When a sabertooth tiger called out, what noise did it make—a mighty roar or a throaty purr? A new study from North Carolina State University researchers has examined the data behind the arguments for each vocalization and found that the answer was.....»»
Removing ozone pollution across India could boost food welfare benefits by billions of dollars a year
Removing ozone pollution across India could boost food welfare benefits by more than four billion dollars a year through avoidance of wheat yield losses of approximately 14%, according to the results of a pioneering international study......»»
Dogs provide critical support for homeless people, study finds
Homeless people and their dogs have a mutually beneficial relationship, with the dogs providing critical support for their owners' emotional and mental health while owners make every effort to protect dogs and meet their welfare needs, new research h.....»»
Impacts of climate change on animals will be multi-faceted, reveals study
A new study published in CABI Reviews suggests that the impact of climate change on animals will be "multi-faceted" with "cascading effects" across five welfare domains, including nutrition, environment, behavior, physical and mental health......»»
The Crew Motorfest is in a race with Forza Horizon 5, but it’s destined for second place
Based on three hours of playtime, The Crew Motorfest is a well-crafted, but derivative riff on Forza Horizon......»»
Belief in animals" capacity for emotion linked to better health and welfare
Working equids whose owners believe in their capacity to feel emotion have significantly better health and welfare outcomes than those whose owners do not, according to new research by the University of Portsmouth and international animal welfare cha.....»»
Food labels offer consumer choices but also confusion about animal welfare, says expert
Animal-based food products often come packaged in a wide array of information labels, including organic, natural, grass-fed, humanely raised and pasture-raised......»»
You can’t pet the dog in Pikmin 4, but you can make it buff
Based on over an hour of playtime, Pikmin 4 seems like the best entry point yet for the oddball strategy series......»»
The burnout epidemic: High turnover in child welfare
Job turnover is a concern in any line of work, but few fields experience this as severely as the child welfare system. Studies show that turnover in the social work workforce nationally could be as high as 40%......»»
Backpack-wearing chickens are helping change the way we study animal welfare
The chicken sheds I conduct research in are enormous—over three-quarters the length of a football field and 20 meters wide. In each house, around 28,000 near-identical broiler chickens, which are the type we use for meat, are reared in six-week pro.....»»
Iceland suspends whale hunt on animal welfare concerns
Iceland's government said Tuesday it was suspending this year's whale hunt until the end of August due to animal welfare concerns, likely bringing the controversial practice to a historic end......»»
New tracking device to keep better tabs on wolves
Keeping up with the journeys of wolves and welfare of wild horses has never been easier. With a GPS wildlife tracker powered by an animal's own movements, University of Copenhagen researchers have solved a problem faced by biologists and wildlife man.....»»
Study: Tools to assess crime risk for young cohorts are likely to fail over time if they ignore social change
Risk assessment instruments (RAIs) are widely used to inform high-stakes decision-making in the criminal justice system and other areas, such as health care and child welfare. These tools typically assume a relation between predictors and outcomes th.....»»
Hippos Are in Trouble. Will ‘Endangered’ Status Save Them?
Animal welfare groups are pushing the US to restrict the import of hippo parts. But experts argue that that policy is limited, and may even cause harm......»»