Reducing barking in a Brazilian animal shelter: A practical intervention

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dc.contributor.authorBaldan, Ana Luciaen
dc.contributor.authorFerreira, Bruna Limaen
dc.contributor.authorWarisaia, Viniciusen
dc.contributor.authorFeuerbacher, Erica N.en
dc.contributor.authorMonticelli, Patricia Ferreiraen
dc.contributor.authorGunter, Lisa M.en
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-29T13:14:32Zen
dc.date.available2024-01-29T13:14:32Zen
dc.date.issued2023-08en
dc.description.abstractBarking is a common problem in animal shelters. Loud noise is an irritant and stressful to both humans and other animals. In the present study, we tested a positive reinforcement intervention using food delivery with 70 dogs at a municipal animal shelter in Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experiment consisted of three conditions with three daily phases: pre-intervention (A1), intervention (B), and post-intervention (A2). The intervention consisted of the experimenter (ALB) entering the building in which dogs were housed, stopping at each of its 12 kennels (between 4 and 6 dogs in each kennel), and delivering food to the dogs after they had ceased barking. After the first study condition with its single experimenter, we conducted two other conditions to test the generalization of the intervention with novel stimuli. In Condition 2, the experimenter was accompanied by a student; and in Condition 3, the experimenter was with the same student and a shelter employee. Continuous sound levels (Leq dB) and duration of barking were measured pre- and post-intervention throughout the study's three conditions as well as the amount of time needed to carry out the intervention each day. We found that, on average, both Leq dB and barking duration reduced following the intervention with a decrease in both measures from the beginning to the end of the study. Furthermore, intervention implementation time shortened across the study's conditions, with less than three minutes needed for the intervention to be carried out in Condition 3. In total, our findings suggest that the Barking Reduction Protocol (BRP) is an effective, low-effort intervention that reduces dog barking in the animal shelter. When considering the many issues that compromise the daily lives of shelter dogs, this intervention may be a useful tool in changing dogs’ barking behavior in response to people and improve their welfare as they await adoption.en
dc.description.versionAccepted versionen
dc.format.extent8 page(s)en
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifierARTN 105992 (Article number)en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105992en
dc.identifier.eissn1872-9045en
dc.identifier.issn0168-1591en
dc.identifier.orcidFeuerbacher, Erica [0000-0002-8565-4438]en
dc.identifier.orcidGunter, Lisa [0000-0002-2363-7691]en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10919/117704en
dc.identifier.volume265en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherElsevieren
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectAnimal welfareen
dc.subjectVocalizationen
dc.subjectTrainingen
dc.subjectNoise reductionen
dc.subjectBioacousticsen
dc.subjectCanis familiarisen
dc.titleReducing barking in a Brazilian animal shelter: A practical interventionen
dc.title.serialApplied Animal Behaviour Scienceen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.otherArticleen
dc.type.otherJournalen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Techen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciences/School of Animal Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/All T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Agriculture & Life Sciences/CALS T&R Facultyen

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