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Human-Animal Contact

By Stephanie Scott
Tarleton State University
Animal Welfare and Ethics

Introduction
Today, animals are considered family members, security and food.
Animals provide a lot for humans as well as humans providing a lot
for animals. Unfortunately, fear and stress can get in the way of
the human-animal relationship. Luckily, there are several things
that can be done to help prevent fear and stress in animals as well
as in humans to help build a good relationship and to increase
production in farm animals.

Interactions Between Human and Animals


Humans have been sharing their lives with animals for hundreds of
thousands years.
Animals do numerous things for humans, such as:

Animals reduce heart diseases and strengthening the immune system.


Animals reduce stress levels and depression.
Animal are used for therapy.
Animals improve self-esteem and social engagement.
Animals provide security.
Animals provide food such as meat and milk.
Animals provide research against diseases and help create medications.

Interactions Between Humans and Animals


While the animals provide and do numerous things for humans, humans
also provide a lot for animals such as:

Shelter
Food
Water
Companionship
Good Health
Husbandry
Veterinary Services
Stability
Comfort
Enrichment

Effects of human interaction on animals


Handling: Negative or rough handling will increase fear of humans,
which will, reduce growth, feed, reproduction and health.
High fear levels produce elevated cortisol concentrations and enlargements
of the adrenal glands.
Animals that are highly fearful of humans and regular contact with humans
develop a chronic stress response.
Handling may cause productivity an welfare effects.
Aversive handling of dairy cattle's decrease milk production.

In farm animals, stockpersons who slap or hit are correlated with


avoidance.
Cognitive-behavioral training, improve the attitudes of animals.

Effects of Human Interaction on Animals


Animals that receive positive feedback from humans such as
feeding and petting can decrease the heart rate and respiration
rate and the animal starts to relax.
This can cause an increase of human interaction.
May have reduced stress responses in stressful situations.
Reduce social isolation.

How the interaction can be measured


Interaction can be measured by the animals response to
humans.
Animals will become fearful and stressed in situation
such as punishing events, rough handling, veterinary
treatment and close contact with a human.
This can be difficult to study because there are several other
factors that can contribute such as a new environment,
surrounding animals and the history of interaction with the
human.

Animals can also show positive or pleasant emotions


when the animal is being rewarded through feeding,
grooming and positive handling.

Ways to improve Human-Animal interaction


Stockperson training courses
Require a knowledge for requirements and behavior farm animals.
Well developed husbandry and management skills.
Cognitive-behavioral training for the behavior of the stockperson.

Stockperson selection
Tested for personality, motivation, performance potential, and empathy towards the animals.

Positive handling.
Positive reinforcements such as food.
Positive interactions with humans such as petting the animal.

Conclusion
In conclusion, fear and stress is a big factor with human and
animal interaction. Fear and stress in animals can occur with
rough handling and interactions with a human. Negative
perception of a human for animals can cause avoidance decrease
production such as milk. There are several ways to improve
human-animal contact through training and positive
reinforcements through food. Fear and stress and decrease the
relationship with the humans therefore animals would be reluctant
to benefit from us and humans would not be able to benefit from
animals.

References
Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) Research. (n.d.). Retrieved April
11, 2015, from
http://www.waltham.com/waltham-research/hai-research/
Human Contact. (2011). In M. Applyby, J. Mench, I. Olsson, & B.
Hughes (Eds.),Animal Welfare(2nd ed., pp. 246-258). Wallingford,
Oxfordshire: CAB.
More on Human-Animal Interaction. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11,
2015, from
http://www.waltham.com/waltham-research/hai-research/hai-ov
erview/

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