About this Research Topic
Currently, in most of the developing world, working animals are still used for various tasks, mostly for hauling and transport. Equids, camelids, bovids and even elephants work daily from forests to cities to accompany humans in the hardest of tasks. These animals are often prematurely introduced to the working environment, their stockman being poorly educated and their equipment in most cases is deficient and unfitting.
Working dogs are prevalent around the world and fulfil many roles, adding social, cultural, and economic value to human lifestyles. Dogs work in herding, guarding, hunting, human assistance, and animal-assisted therapy.
Even though considerable advances have been made regarding their welfare requirements, their wellbeing remains an area of public concern due to overloading and inadequate loading techniques, inadequate equipment, inhumane handling, working while in poor health or too young, poor nutrition and inappropriate management. Initiating factors which influence welfare of working animals include traditional or cultural beliefs and economic constraints. Furthermore, inadequate knowledge and inappropriate attitudes and management practices can also contribute to welfare issues.
The aim of this current Research topic is to identify problems, spreading knowledge, seeking solutions to further improve welfare of working animals. We are inviting original research manuscripts, literature reviews and case reports covering indicators or methods for assessing working animals’ welfare, especially physiological, immune or psychological aspects; methods of monitoring behaviour of working animals; assessment of welfare at housing, transport or slaughter of working animals; stunning methods and slaughter practices of working animals; the validation of measured parameters; the influence of factors on health, affective states, and behaviour of working animals.
Working dogs are prevalent around the world and fulfil many roles, adding social, cultural, and economic value to human lifestyles. Dogs work in herding, guarding, hunting, human assistance, and animal-assisted therapy.
Even though considerable advances have been made regarding their welfare requirements, their wellbeing remains an area of public concern due to overloading and inadequate loading techniques, inadequate equipment, inhumane handling, working while in poor health or too young, poor nutrition and inappropriate management. Initiating factors which influence welfare of working animals include traditional or cultural beliefs and economic constraints. Furthermore, inadequate knowledge and inappropriate attitudes and management practices can also contribute to welfare issues.
The aim of this current Research topic is to identify problems, spreading knowledge, seeking solutions to further improve welfare of working animals. We are inviting original research manuscripts, literature reviews and case reports covering indicators or methods for assessing working animals’ welfare, especially physiological, immune or psychological aspects; methods of monitoring behaviour of working animals; assessment of welfare at housing, transport or slaughter of working animals; stunning methods and slaughter practices of working animals; the validation of measured parameters; the influence of factors on health, affective states, and behaviour of working animals.
Keywords: animal welfare, behavior, bovids, camelids, elephants, equids, slaughter, stunning, working animals, working dogs
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
