Centre for Companion Animal Welfare

Today, research into the welfare of farm and laboratory animals are well-established research areas at universities and other research institutions around the world. Only recently, there has been a growing interest in the welfare of the many animals kept as companion animals, e.g. dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. One of the reasons why the interest in companion animal welfare has not been as pronounced as it is today is the widespread, albeit erroneous, assumption that companion animals are doing well - as they are kept for leisure and not for the sake of money. 

For millennia, these animals have lived with humans under completely different conditions. In the transition from being 'useful' animals to becoming family members the animals have been exposed to dramatic and sometimes welfare-compromising changes. They respond with behavioural problems and various forms of lifestyle-related diseases. In addition, and despite good intentions, selective breeding has in many cases had major negative consequences for animal welfare.

Companion animals are in most cases kept by people who feel great love for their animals. However, love, as is well known, can make blind; and sometimes people will project their own needs and expectations onto the animals to the detriment of both animal welfare and the relationship between owner and animal.

The Centre for Companion Animal Welfare will contribute with a diverse set of research initiatives into the welfare of companion animals and work hard to ensure that results are made visible and applied internationally. The research will focus on the direct welfare consequences of the ways in which companion animals are kept, trained, cared for and bred. The animals concerned are dogs, cats, horses and other animals kept as companion or hobby animals.

The following research subjects will be studied in a Danish context but also in the form of international collaborative projects, which provide an opportunity for cross-country comparison.

Rearing and early experiences

Welfare problems often occur when thing goes wrong early in life, e.g. when the animals are taken from their mother, if their mother is stressed or sick, or if appropriate socialisation with humans is not ensured. Import, legal and illegal, especially of young dogs may also have a detrimental effect on the welfare of the animals.  

Selective breeding

Especially purebred dogs and cats are targets of selective breeding which have shown to be detrimental to their welfare. For example, when extreme breeding goals engender brachycephaly (shorter skull) or fixation of mutation of diseases in small closed populations. Focusing on the appearance of animals has also had undesired behavioural consequences, e.g. higher risk of fear or a tendency to show aggressive behaviour. So-called dangerous dog breeds make up an issue of its own. Selective breeding of sports horses has in some cases made the horses so nervous that they have become dangerous to non-professional riders. It is also a problem in organized dog and horse breeding that a large number of genetic tests are offered for the diagnosis of hereditary diseases, where unfortunately not all tests are equally predictive. 

Nutrition and feeding

In the past, there was a major problem with malnourished dogs, cats and horses. Today, the biggest nutritional problems are overfeeding and related problems with overweight and obesity. Obesity in dogs, cats and horses increases the risk of developing e.g. joint problems, arthritis, diabetes, breathing difficulties, pancreatitis and urinary tract disorders. Even moderate obesity has been shown to reduce the lifespan of dogs by up to two years across small and large breeds. For horses, there may also be problems with a concentrated feeding, where the animals cannot not meet their need for grazing.

Training and behaviour problems

A common reason why many companion animals end up being euthanised or relinquished is that they exhibit behaviours that are perceived as problematic by their owners. Many behavioural problems can be prevented through proper training but at the same time, there are training methods in circulation that may worsen the problems and give rise to welfare problems. The use of horses for sports may involve inappropriate training methods, which can impair their welfare.

Reproduction control

In some countries, especially in the United States, it is a commonly held view that all companion animals that are not to be used for breeding should be neutered. This view may be justified with regard to cats and horses but is far more problematic and controversial when it comes to dogs. Particularly male dogs are at risk of becoming lethargic and obese if they are neutered.

Veterinary treatment

When animals become seriously ill, they must either be treated or killed. There can be challenges at both ends of the spectrum: on the one hand, there are many sick animals that do not receive the necessary treatment due to ignorance and/or financial inability of owners. On the other hand, the advanced veterinary treatment offered may tempt owners to extend treatment beyond what may be considered ethically sound. Insurance schemes, which are mainly used on horses and dogs, provide financial support and contribute to veterinary diagnosis and correct treatment, but can also create inappropriate incentives in relation to treatment or euthanasia.

Unwanted and stray animals

In a number of cases, humans find themselves forced to part with their animals. In the case of cats, they may end up as stray animals. Dealing with unwanted and stray animals is an important welfare issue, e.g. what is a tolerable limit for staying in a shelter, and also involves ethical dilemmas, e.g. ‘kill’ versus ‘no-kill’.

Research methods

The research subjects will be studied by the means of a wide range of methods, for example:

• Behavioural studies
• Clinical trials
• Physiological measurements
• Genetic studies
• Interviews
• Questionnaire surveys
• Other social science studies, e.g. collection of information via social media 
• Epidemiological studies

The senior researchers involved have extensive experience from interdisciplinary collaboration, which includes several of these methods. 

Student involvement

Among students affiliated with Danish Universities within disciplines such as veterinary medicine and biology, there is already a great deal of interest in companion animal welfare. To complete their master’s degree, the students must write a thesis which typically takes four to eight months of full-time work. With a combination of talented students and committed supervisors, such projects can lead to important research that can be published afterwards. The senior researchers involved in the Centre for Companion Animal Welfare have supervised a number of projects and together with the students helped publish the results in international journals.