Using an ethological framework of attachment developed by Bowlby and the social provisions of relationships delineated by Weiss, this article explores the ways in which family pets, in particular dogs and cats, provide certain components of attachment that contribute to emotional and social well-being throughout the life cycle. Pets may supply ongoing comfort and reduce feelings of loneliness d...

Background: An adequate diet contributes to health and wellbeing in older age. This is nowadays more important than ever since in industrialised countries the elderly population is growing continually. However, information regarding the consumption behaviour of older persons in Switzerland is limited. Objective: The objective of this investigation was to explore how middle-aged and elderly Swis...

OBJECTIVE To describe epidemiologic features of pet evacuation failure after a hazardous chemical spill in which residents had no warning and only a few hours notice to evacuate. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION Pet-owning households that evacuated from a hazardous chemical spill with (n = 119) or without (122) their pets. Procedures-Evacuees were surveyed by mail. RESULTS ...

BACKGROUND Due to increased interest in animal welfare, there is now a need for a comprehensive assessment protocol to be used in intensive pig farming systems. There are two current welfare assessment protocols for pigs: Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocols (applicable in the Europe Union), that mostly focuses on animal-based measures, and the Swine Welfare Assurance Program (applicable in th...

In general, codes that have been designed to safeguard the welfare of animals emphasize the importance of providing an environment that will ensure good health and a normal physiological and physical state, that is, they emphasize the animals' physical needs. If mental needs are mentioned, they are always relegated to secondary importance. The argument is put forward here that animal welfare is...

OBJECTIVE This study explored the association between pet ownership and self-reported health in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS One hundred and ninety-three (193) people with medically diagnosed CFS completed a postal survey designed to collect information on illness severity, physical and psychologic health, and pet ownership practices. RESULTS Most of the par...

National animal health policies have at their foundation the overarching need to address society's concerns about animal disease control, the welfare of animals and the safety and security of the animal production food supply. However, in today's global, complex and interdependent context, national animal health policies also impact a broader range of policy outcomes, ranging from public health...

In this study, we sought to identify empirically the types of use and non-use values that motivate dairy farmers in their work relating to animal welfare of dairy cows. We also sought to identify how they prioritize between these use and non-use values. Use values are derived from productivity considerations; non-use values are derived from the wellbeing of the animals, independent of the prese...