
Companion animals

Companion animals are growing in numbers not only in the West but also in many Asian countries (e.g., China). In some respects companion animals receive special treatment (as compared with other animals used by us). In other respects, however, they suffer as a direct result of the way we use them. Some companion animals, for instance, develop health or behavioural problems caused by social and physical factors in their environment.
Our awareness of the importance of companion animals in many people's lives is growing; in fact such animals are frequently used for therapeutic purposes. At the same time, many companion animals are abandoned, given up to shelters, or euthanized. Companion animals thus seem to be viewed both as individuals to be respected in their own right and as disposable sources of enrichment for humans.
Below you will find a variety of publications about companion animal ethics and welfare. They are also sorted within the categories listed in the left menu bar.
You can also search among all publications on the site here:


Breeding schemes for intervertebral disc disease in Dachshunds: Is disc calcification score preferable to genotyping of the FGF4 retrogene insertion on CFA12?

Development and consistency of fearfulness in horses from foal to adult

Owner-related reasons matter more than behavioural problems - a study of why owners relinquished dogs and cats to a Danish animal shelter from 1996 to 2017

Shelters Reflect but Cannot Solve Underlying Problems with Relinquished and Stray Animals - A Retrospective Study of Dogs and Cats Entering and Leaving Shelters in Denmark from 2004 to 2017

Neutering increases the risk of obesity in male dogs but not in bitches — A cross-sectional study of dog- and owner-related risk factors for obesity in Danish companion dogs

Roaming companion cats as potential causes of conflict and controversy – a representative questionnaire study of the Danish public

Can friends be cloned? Ethical Aspects of Cloning Dogs as Companion Animals

Quality of life assessment in dogs and cats receiving chemotherapy: a review of current methods
