Nicola Rooney

Jul 22, 2024 | studyfinds.org | Nicola Rooney

(Photo by Meruyert Gonullu from Pexels)Dogs experience emotional contagion from the smell of human stress, leading them to make more ‘pessimistic’ choices, new research finds.  The University of Bristol-led study, published in Scientific Reports today [22 July], is the first to test how human stress odours affect dogs’ learning and emotional state.  Evidence in humans suggests that the smell of a stressed person subconsciously affects the emotions and choices made by others around them.

Feb 1, 2024 | mdpi.com | Izzie Philpotts |Emily Blackwell |Justin Dillon |Nicola Rooney

1. IntroductionEducation is central to the work of companion animal welfare charities in the United Kingdom (UK) [1,2,3]. They aim to educate the public on aspects of an animal’s health, needs, and behaviours to improve their welfare. Education through targeted marketing campaigns is one key method by which charities aim to heighten public awareness of specific issues.