Intraspecific Interactions Decrease Stress Affecting Welfare in Shelter Dogs: A Comparison of Four Different Housing Conditions

Abstract

Shelters are stressful environments for domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Evaluating dogs' welfare is crucial to improve their life condition and to promote a better management of shelters. We aimed at verifying which variables improved welfare in 10 shelter dogs ((hosted in the shelter "Centro cinofilo Caerite" in Bracciano (Rome)) by analysing their behavioural responses in different environmental conditions. Furthermore, faecal samples were taken to measure cortisol metabolites (CM), a non-invasive method to evaluate adrenocortical activity in dogs. Dogs were observed for a total of 400 h in 4 different cage conditions: (i) alone in a cage; ii) alone in an enriched cage; (iii) in cage with conspecifics; (iv) in cage with regular interaction with humans outside the cage. Alone in the cage situation showed highest frequencies of displacement activities (Friedman test: χ² = 13.32; p = 0.004). In contrast, being in the cage with conspecifics seems to reduce displacement activity frequency, as well as the level of faecal cortisol metabolites (Friedman test: χ² = 8.04; p = 0.045). Our results suggest that conspecifics' presence is the best way to reduce stress in shelter dogs. This research could provide some useful guidelines for managing shelters and improving dogs' life condition.

Keywords: behaviour; cortisol; domestic dog; shelter; welfare.

Figure 1

Average frequencies of displacement activities in the four different situations. The graph shows the frequencies of displacement activities in the different situations: alone in cage, alone in an enriched cage, in cage with two neutered females, and alone in cage with daily regular human contact ouside the cage. The black bars within the box plots indicate the median; the dots represent the outliers; and the whiskers represent the min and max value.

Figure 2

Frequencies of stereotypies by two individuals in the four different situations. The graph shows the frequencies of stereotypic behaviour by Lenticchia and Pongo in the different situations: alone in cage, alone in an enriched cage, in cage with two neutered females, and alone in cage with daily regular human contact ouside the cage.

Figure 3

Boxplots of dogs’ average faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations in the four different situations. The graph shows the distribution of the average FCM level of each dog in the different situations: alone in cage, alone in an enriched cage, in cage with two neutered females, and alone in cage with regularly human contact. The black bars within the box plots indicate the median; the whiskers represent the min and max value.

Figure 4

Histogram of individual average faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations in the four different situations. The graph shows the average FCM level for each dog in the different situations: alone in cage, alone in an enriched cage, in cage with two neutered females, and alone in cage with regularly human contact.