Animal-Human Interaction

Though distant in subject, structure and narrative voice, these two novels, Herman Melville‘s Moby-Dick and Toni Morrison‘s Beloved, share unexpected common ground. Both are remarkable for their breathtaking poetic treatment of suffering, brutal exploitation and killing. Both weave their narrative fabric in the rich territory where the struggle for survival overlaps with a desperate will to break barriers. And both, somehow, amidst the carnage, create an opening through which reaches the presence of the divine.

ABSTRACT

Social relationships guide humans’ and great apes’ behaviors with conspecifics. Inter-individual relationships, based on shared social history, guide behaviors with familiar others; “generalized” relationships, based on the history of interactions with relevant classes of individuals, may guide behavior with unfamiliar others. On that basis, Hosey (2008) proposed that different human-animal relationships (HARs) guide zoo primates’ behaviors with familiar and unfamiliar humans. HARs are characterized as positive, neutral, or negative based on individual primates’ confidence, indifference, or fear with humans and their acceptance, ignoring, or avoidance human proximity and contact. I conducted the first systematic analysis of HARs with orangutans (Pongo abelii) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada by studying ape-initiated human-directed behaviors (HDBs). MANOVAs showed that human familiarity, ape age, and ape species each independently predicted affiliative HDBs (aHDBs). aHDB rates and durations were significantly higher for familiar versus unfamiliar humans [Pillai’s Trace = 0.69, F (3,18) = 13.32, p<0.01],  immature versus adult apes [Pillai’s Trace = 0.50, F (3,18) = 5.90, p=0.01], and orangutans versus gorillas [Pillai’s Trace = 0.45, F (3,18) = 4.85, p=0.01]. aHDB patterns suggest that apes used human familiarity to guide ape-human interactions, were consistent with positive and neutral/negative HARs with familiar and unfamiliar humans respectively, and suggest that negative, stressful interactions typically reported in visitor effect studies represent only one aspect of zoo ape-human interaction.

Animal welfare is of increasing concern in zoological facilities (Vasconcellos et al., 2016). What’s more, the turn to focus on individual animals rather than collections is gaining traction from within zoos and aquariums, the public, and academia. This study provides a look into how professional animal care staff and college-level students perceived the emotional well-being of two individuals: Lulu, a ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and Cleatus, an Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara), in residence at The Florida Aquarium. Perceptions are taken from two contexts: with and without human interaction. The study generated 148 different descriptors, reflecting 84 different perceptions regarding the animals’ emotional states. Comparisons of control clips versus animal-human interaction clips reveal a 13-27% increase in positive perception of animal emotions and correlated welfare in the case of Lulu the lemur during human- interaction activities and a 45-51% increase under the same conditions for Cleatus the goliath grouper (all respondents versus student respondents). This study reveals that perceptions of animal emotions and correlated welfare are elevated during human-animal interactions (HAIs). Though these results offer a snapshot into how humans believe animals feel as a result of their care and not how the animals actually feel, there is evidence to support that positive HAIs contribute to increased welfare for both humans and other animals (Hosey & Melfi, 2012; Ward & Melfi, 2013).

Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVI) within zoos and aquariums have become an increasingly studied topic. Influenced by both the broader field of Human-Animal Interactions (HAI), as well as visitor studies conducted in museums, AVI studies can be separated into two areas of focus: (1) Visitor effects, or the impact visitors have on the animals housed within a zoo, and (2) visitor experiences, or the impact zoo animals and visiting a zoo have on the visitors. Historically, visitor effects have been of primary concern to the study of AVIs, as have the potential negative impacts on the welfare of animals, particularly those of zoo primates. This special issue examines the impact of AVIs in greater detail through twelve recent papers on the topic, equally addressing visitor effects and experiences. Many of the papers focus on positive welfare indices, as well as less traditional measures to examine both visitor effects and experiences, such as visitor proximity and visitor interviews. In addition, we discuss the relevance of future AVI work, with particular attention to (a) increased interest in visitor experience research, (b) examinations of signage effects, and (c) continued focus on positive welfare indices and direct interactions, such as public feedings.

Animal Assisted Play Therapy® is a unique, theoretically integrative approach developed by coauthors Dr. Risë VanFleet and Tracie Faa-Thompson. It refers to the involvement of animals in professional mental health, allied health, and educational work. This volume presents a comprehensive approach to the inclusion of animals in psychotherapy in general, and play therapy in particular. The book goes beyond describing the inclusion of animals in sessions to describe the nature of the relationship between the animal, the therapist and the client. Extensive attention is paid to the competencies the therapist must have in order to engage in AAPT as well as guidance in selecting and training animals. One of the most unique aspects of the book is the degree to which it focuses on the welfare of the animal as essential to both ethical practice and to the success of any AAPT intervention. It is a useful resource for those new to the field as well as seasoned practitioners. This posting provides a description of this book, which has received high acclaim from practitioners and academics alike. It won a Maxwell Award for "best book in the human-animal bond category."

El texto ofrece una observación sobre la asimilación iconográfica del uso bélico de animales, usando como ejemplo paradigmático el proyecto Bat Bomb (oficialmente X-Ray) desarrollado durante la segunda guerra mundial y que tuvo un cierto efecto en la cultura popular asociado a la iconografía del murciélago y la sombra audiovisual del personaje de Batman creado por Bill Finger y Bob Kane.


The text offers an observation on the iconographic assimilation of the warlike use of animals, using as a paradigmatic example the Bat Bomb project (officially X-Ray) developed during the Second World War and that had a certain effect on the popular culture associated with the iconography of the bat and the audiovisual shadow of the Batman character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.

This is a review of the book "Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are" by Frans de Waal. de Waal is a noted ethologist. He concludes that human are smart enough to recognize the intelligence of other animals, although we may ignore the growing body of evidence.

Besides being funny and giving a sense of companionship, owning a pet in your household could have some magical influences on its owners' health. A pet will help to reduce anxiety levels, improving physical activity persistence, and enhance social interaction. Owing a Pet had its influence on physical and mental health, as previous studies showed its contribution to modulating mental illness, reducing cardiovascular problems, improving the outcomes of many mental diseases such as depression, and being a helpful therapy for parkinsonian patients. Declaring the benefits of pet ownership and discussing its effects on various health aspects allows more enlightening of pets' role in boosting our mental and physical health. Several studies have been conducted to test those findings and provide scientific evidence. In this review, we aimed at exploring and discussing some of the benefits obtained by pet ownership and the roles that pets could play in enhancing physical and mental well-being.

This paper explores the interaction between humans and their companion animals after the large tsunami which hit the northeast coast of Japan on 11 March 2011. Interviews, observation and fieldwork were used to assemble ethnographic accounts for 35 owners of companion animals who were assigned to temporary housing complexes where they are still living. A notion of "companion animal first" could be detected in the data.  This way of thinking might be defined as an ethical stance whereby the companion animal is given a very high value or net worth. Since there are few studies on companion animal in Japan at times when large-scale natural disasters occur, this research may contribute to the small but growing amount of qualitative research on human-animal relationships and interaction during and after disasters in an Asian country, thereby adding a sense of urgency to the need for comparative research in this important sphere of social life in most societies.

Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVIs) have become commonplace in zoological institutions and facilities globally. However, most AVI research focuses on the effects of visitors on the welfare of animals, with considerably fewer studies examining the visitor experience itself. Furthermore, robust evaluations of the efficacy of zoo education programs and engagements for increasing visitor awareness of conservation issues, and for fostering longterm pro-conservation behavior changes in them, are under-researched. This paper reviews the current literature that pertains to the effects of zoo visitation and AVIs on visitor perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes. We briefly note some of the known effects that zoo visitors have on zoo animals, then explore the effects that factors such as enclosure design, animal visibility and behaviors, and AVIs can have on visitors' overall experience whilst attending the zoo. We suggest that future research needs to more closely examine the relationships and interactions between zoo visitors and zoo animals; why some zoo visitors over others repeat visitation; what the differences in beliefs and attitudes may be between "zoo visitors" and "non-zoo visitors" (i.e., other general public); and to make a concerted effort to understand: (1) what visitors do after they leave the zoo, and (2) whether visitors adopt long-term proconservation behaviors into their daily lives. We further suggest that future research needs to start investigating indirect measures related to the visitor experience, such as: (a) individual conservation support outside of the zoo; (b) internet activity; (c) changes in sustainable purchasing practices related to knowledge gains; (d) financial investment in sustainable or ethical companies after knowledge gains; (e) and the longitudinal effects of zoo visits.

Social media is a powerful tool for sharing information and awareness campaigns concerning environmental issues, especially as they pertain to the conservation of wild, nonhuman animals (henceforth, "animals"). This form of online engagement is a double-edged sword, however, since it can facilitate the legal and illegal trade of wild species, and promote harmful tourism encounters with wild animals. This review spans multiple disciplines and presents some key literature to date examining how public perceptions of wild animals are influenced by social media. This includes discussions of "viral" videos, "wildlife selfies," changing trends in animal encounters at wildlife tourism destinations, and the influence of social media on the wildlife trade. Avenues for future research are suggested with urgency; the adverse effects of social media are understudied, yet bear serious consequences for the individual welfare and species conservation of wild animals.

Monografia w języku polskim, która ukazała się w Wydawnictwie Naukowym "Śląsk" w 2016 roku.

Spis treści:
Wstęp do ekokrytyki  17
Zagadnienia i problemy badawcze ekokrytyki  19
Przegląd polskich stanowisk wobec problematyki ekologicznej w literaturze  52
Redefiniowanie realizmu i nowe możliwości interpretacyjne  86
Niemota przyrody a realizm (post)traumatyczny  94
Słaby ludzki podmiot – miejsce na język przyrody 119
Realność ekosystemu w Placówce Prusa  121
Niezdara Dygasińskiego i sprawstwo przyrody  139
Dziecięce pomiędzy: Świat i ślepa dziewczyna Dygasińskiego oraz  Suka Reymonta  155
Nie-ludzki rodowód poezji: Leśmian  176
Splot historii i zagrożenia: głos drzew w Glorii victis Orzeszkowej  195 Zwierzęta – podmioty (nie)obecne 207
Człowiek i zwierzę – problem granicy w Dziennikach Gombrowicza  209 Ujarzmianie bestii? Walka byków Sienkiewicza  222
Relacje: Wilk, psy i ludzie Dygasińskiego  239
Próba reprezentowania zwierząt: Ostatnie historie i pisarstwo Tokarczuk  256
Moja przyjaciółka krowa – wspólne doświadczenia.  Hartwig i Brach-Czaina  272
Posthumanizm i znaczenie zwierzęcych narracji w literaturze  286 Zookrytyka i zoonarracje. Oczy tygrysa Czyżewskiego  314

This study attempts to demonstrate that ancient Greek authors and vase painters (mostly of the late sixth and early fifth centuries) were well attuned to the many bodily gestures and positions exhibited by dogs in real life and utilized this knowledge in producing their works. Once this is clear, it becomes evident that the Greek public at large was equally aware of such canine bodily gestures and positions. This extends the seminal work on gestures of Boegehold and Lateiner to the animal world and seeks also to serve as a call for further study of similar animals throughout ancient Greek times.

The term zoopharmacognosy was first introduced in 1987 as a multidisciplinary study of the self-medication behavior of many kinds of animals. Humans and non-human animals have been observing and interacting with each other since prehistoric times and learning about nature together. Humans have probably been aware for a long time that animals used specific substances in certain ways when they were sick and that this sometimes helped them to heal. Thanks to zoopharmacognosy, we are beginning to learn more concrete aspects of this relatively new branch of science that deals with how animals treat disease with organic or inorganic substances that they find in their environment. In some cases, they even seem to use plants or other natural items as drugs in a very similar way to ourselves in order to treat the very same symptoms that we do. Although zoopharmacognosy is a young science, in this study we searched for and analyzed the relevant early data and precedents in published papers and from historical sources that endorse the remarkable antiquity of the attention and concern of humankind for it.

Enjoying the company of a good-natured dog can lend support to a person in a stressful situation. This presence brings benefits across different areas of human well-being and leads to a decrease in levels of sympathetic activation and subjective distress which are triggered in social anxiety situations. This study seeks to provide evidence of these benefits relative to physiological variables-heart rate and blood pressure-as well as a subjective variable, namely anxiety. Thirty-six university students (80% female, M=22.4, SD=4,32) exposed to a stress-induced situation using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) participated in the study. This type of scenario produces an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and subjective anxiety levels. The decline in these variable levels was assessed based on whether the participants were alone or accompanied by a friendly dog. Through random selection, half of the students could pet the animal during the stress-induced phase (experimental group), whereas the other half had a toy dog to hold (control group). The levels of all three dependent variables were recorded at three different stages: the pretest relaxation phase, the stress-and anxiety-induced test phase, and the relaxation or return-to-calm posttest phase. The results revealed that the dog's presence during the test phase considerably reduced the levels of anxiety and heart rate experienced by the experimental group participants compared to the control group. No significant differences in blood pressure were observed between both groups during this phase. The results of this research coincide with earlier studies that report on the beneficial effects of human-animal interaction, while highlighting the importance of analyzing this interaction in the field of psychology.

Egyptologists have struggled to understand the role of pigs due to the relatively scarce archaeological evidence that attests to their existence in ancient Egyptian life. Yet despite the poor record at our disposal, a picture has emerged of a complex relationship with this animal, one that perhaps tells us more about the Egyptians’ zoological interests than their more positive attitude towards other species. It is thus significant that a new and highly unusual image of a pig has recently been identified at the Middle Kingdom cemetery of Beni Hassan, one that may shed new light on the Egyptians’ interactions with the animals.

This study reviews ethological literature and the views of working riders on the manners in which horses communicate nonverbally; explores social-scientific paradigms of human nonverbal communication as presented in the academic discipline of Communication Studies; and outlines crucial ways in which horse-horse, horse-human, and human-horse communication can be viewed using paradigms for human-human nonverbal communication. With this in place, I explore and present photographs of what I have termed horses’ ability for “corporeal synchronicity”—the ability to move in exact, foot-for-foot synchrony with one another—and the meaning this may hold for both human and horse.

Dziękuję za świńskie oczy to ważny głos w debacie na temat naszego stosunku do innych zwierząt. Autor nie tylko pokazuje, że zwierzęta są niezastąpionym źródłem wiedzy o świecie, w tym o ludziach, ale również jak bardzo potrzebna jest prowegańska polityka rozwoju.

Dariusz Gzyra uważa, że w świecie, w którym zło jest wszechobecne, widać wyraźnie, ile jest możliwości czynienia dobra. Weganizm postrzega jako kontestację systemu manipulującego ludźmi, a rozwijanie krytycznego myślenia jako podstawowy akt oporu

W Polsce każdego roku dla smaku, kaprysu i mody zabija się miliony zwierząt. Codziennie po cichu na fermach przemysłowych i w rzeźniach giną kurczaki, świnie, cielęta, norki oraz wiele innych zdolnych do odczuwania zwierząt. Choć większość Polek i Polaków deklaruje miłość do zwierząt i jest przekonana, że odczuwają one ból tak samo jak ludzie, a połowa z nas ma pod opieką jakiegoś zwierzęcego pupila, to mało kto na poważnie traktuje zwierzęcą krzywdę.

Ponieważ nie chcemy widzieć cierpienia i śmierci zwierząt, większość niezliczonych przypadków przemocy wobec nich to działanie na zlecenie. Zaplanowane, metodyczne i standardowe. Zgadzamy się na stosowanie przemocy przez innych, abyśmy sami mogli się cieszyć smakiem mięsa i innych produktów pochodzących od zwierzęcych. Ale czy to zwalnia nas z odpowiedzialności?

Animal welfare is a complex matter that includes scientific, ethical, economic and other dimensions. Despite the existence of more comprehensive approaches to animal welfare and the obvious shortcomings of the 'Five Freedoms', for zoological gardens the freedoms still constitute the general guidelines to be followed. These guidelines reflect both, an ethical view and a science based approach. Analysis reveals that the potential ineptitude of the 'Five Freedoms' lies in the manifold perceptions that people have of other animals. These perceptions are biased by our own (mammalian) umwelt, which is intertwined with different cultural attitudes towards other species (e.g. humanistic, moralistic, ecologistic). Perceptions of animals may be held simultaneously by different interest groups and may often be incompatible, thus often making it difficult to follow the 'Five Freedoms' in practice. We aim to recognise and consider the multiplicity of factors that, besides animal subjectivity, are relevant in understanding this hybrid environment. The moral value and practical applicability of the 'Five Freedoms' are sometimes undermined by prioritising some freedoms over others and by species bias. Both are characteristic phenomena of the zoo as a hybrid environment where other species are managed by humans. Given deficiencies are further amplified by humanistic and moralistic attitudes that people hold.

As a marine social scientist, for the better part of the last decade, my life has been ‘submerged’ in the idea and image of sharks (in particular white sharks) and how we interact with them symbolically and physically. It has been a privilege to academically investigate and interact with people globally on this topic from scientists to the mass population, adults, children, fisher people, and people from land lock regions who only know of them by their image presented in the media. For what it is worth, here I reflect on the current efforts of white shark demystification and the possible steps forward. Factual education and direct encounter with sharks in controlled environments undeniably have positive effects on people’s attitude towards sharks. However, perhaps, the next step for shark demystification is personal emotional connections, and imbibing cultural, local, and native knowledge expressed through art, sensory expressions, and fables, perhaps more. However, one thing that is certain, concerns with demystification must be addressed strategically, and can no longer be at the fringes of species conservation efforts. There is an immediate need for more transdisciplinary multipronged research labs working on this specifically. The simple fact is white sharks, and other such apex predators are invariable parts of the global marine ecosystems, we do not have the privilege anymore to take their image and its effect on the holistic natural world lightly, and there is a need for immediate accountability!

The present article situates the systemic efforts to annihilate stray dogs within the wider picture of Ottoman modernizing reforms in the nineteenth century. The period under investigation witnessed an increasing desire on the part of the modern Ottoman state to control and reform disenfranchised human and animal groups, which were believed to jeopardize public order, security and hygiene. These groups – beggars, orphans and the unemployed – were identified as actors irreconcilable with the modern image that the reforming bureaucracy and modernizing elites sought to project. In the face of increasing challenges from European powers, they were the epitome of underdevelopment and backwardness. Ottoman elites and official authorities therefore proposed and implemented institutional measures in the form of forced labor, reformatories or deportation to reform the conditions of these groups, segregate them from the greater public and discipline them. In the modern period, along with the proposals that called for the removal of dogs, modernizing intellectuals and professionals proposed alternative plans to render non-human animals beneficial to human needs and the modern state's expectations.

Present research was intended to investigate the relationship between pet attachment and empathy among young adults. CENSHARE Pet Attachment Survey (Holcomb, Williams, & Richards, 1985) was used to measure pet attachment and Multi-Dimensional Scale of Emotional Empathy (Caruso & Mayer, 1998) was used to measure empathy. Sample which included young adults (N = 250) within the age range of 18 to 26 years (M = 21.16; SD = 2.10), was taken from both public and private universities. The results showed significant positive relationship between pet attachment and empathy. Further, the result showed women scoring higher on pet attachment and empathy as compared to men. Pet owners spending less time with their pets showed stronger pet attachment. Significant predicting role of pet attachment was shown for empathy, with highest variance shown with intimacy component of pet attachment for the empathy dimension of feeling for others, then responsive crying, empathy and emotional attention respectively. Lastly, significant moderating role of gender for the effect of pet attachment on empathy was shown, with women scoring higher than men on empathy with increasing pet attachment.


Author's Note.
In the research article, a piece of information regarding the CENSHARE Pet Attachment Survey is missing. It was adapted in the present study. After conducting a pilot study which led to the discovery of confusion on part of the participants with the existing 4-point Likert scale and for analysis purpose, the coding of the responses was reversed such that "Almost Never" was coded as 1 and "Almost Always" was coded as 4. The results and consequent discussion is based on this reversed coding schedule.

The purpose of my Master’s Thesis research is to determine if and what type of relationship exists between owner-to-dog attachment levels and the degree of aversion used in dog training. I also sought to determine if owner characteristics such as parental status, income, gender, and the like influenced the degree of aversion used. My primary hypothesis is that a negative correlation exists between attachment to one’s dog and aversion used in training. That is, as attachment scores increase, aversion scores decrease. In addition to testing this hypothesis, I collected data to determine if there are correlations between the following: gender and aversion used in dog training; parental status and aversion used in dog training; and, socioeconomic status and aversion used in dog training.
Data collection took place via online, self-report surveys and included demographic information on owners and their dogs, assessment of owner to dog attachment levels (utilizing the Pet Attachment Life Impact Scale), and a measure of aversion used in training. The survey also included open-ended questions that provided owners with the opportunity to add ethnographic value to the data. To validate the breakdown of training philosophies, I completed a pilot survey of professional trainers in which I asked them to classify training philosophies and assign degrees of aversion to commonly recommended methods and techniques. The results of this dog trainer survey aided in the construction of the aversion measurement tool included in the dog owner survey mentioned above.
My recruitment strategy involved multiple Internet outlets along with local canvassing. The sample consisted of 673 respondents from across the United States. Of that population, 90.1% were female and 88.0% identified as white. Additionally, 78.6% were not parents, but a large percentage of the population (65%) considered themselves their dog’s parent or guardian. A weak positive correlation (r=.217, p<.001) was found between participants’ attachment and the reported frequency of aversion used in training their dogs. These results run contrary to my hypothesis. This thesis discusses the interpretations of these findings, including with respect to changing human-dog interactions in the United States.
This thesis provides a window into a growing phenomenon of “pet parents,” with data that could drive future research. The human-canine bond is an area of study still in development. In addition, a growing population of individuals identify as “childfree,” choosing not to raise children. Many of these individuals are “parenting” their pets, instead, and the majority of the current sample seems to reflect that population. A large and growing body of research exists concerning the perspective of the dog (cognition, neuroscience, and emotion research in particular), while most data collected from the human perspective focuses on epidemiological and physiological assessments of dog ownership. Future research could focus more on the emotionality of dog ownership to uncover driving factors behind, and to improve, the choices made in care and training. 

Modern zoos strive to educate visitors about zoo animals and their wild counterparts' conservation needs while fostering appreciation for wildlife in general. This research review examines how zoos influence those who visit them. Much of the research to-date examines zoo visitors' behaviors and perceptions in relation to specific exhibits, animals, and/or programs. In general, visitors have more positive perceptions and behaviors about zoos, their animals, and conservation initiatives the more they interact with animals, naturalistic exhibits, and zoo programming/staff. Furthermore, zoo visitors are receptive to conservation messaging and initiatives at zoos and are more likely to participate in on-site conservation opportunities as opposed to after their visits. The research also suggests that repeat visitors are even more inclined to seek out conservation efforts compared to those visiting zoos for the first time. While current research suggests that repeat visitors are more likely to engage in conservation efforts, little is known about causal factors related to such findings, and almost no research exists to-date comparing the conservation efforts of visitors vs. non-visitors. This latter comparison will likely play a greater role in future zoo visitor research, since it poses one of the most important metrics for evaluating the specific effects visiting a zoo can have on people engaging in conservation efforts in general.

Human-horse relationships take the central place in this edited collection examining the horse’s perspective by asking: How are human-equine relationships communicated, enacted, understood, encouraged, and restricted? The contributors apply varied disciplinary methods as they emphasize comprehending horses not solely in terms of their functional uses, but also as impactful participants in relationships, whether more—or less—equally. By exploring the “who” of horses, The Relational Horse offers a better understanding of horses’ lived experiences and interests within the worlds they share with humans, and a way forward for human-equine studies that more equitably represents the horse in those shared worlds.

Some 2200 years ago, people belonging to the Pazyryk archaeological culture gathered together to bury their dead in mounds on high plateaus in the remote Altai Mountains in the center of Asia. Entire horses—and often groups of horses—were sacrificed at these funerals and interred with the men and women, presumed leaders and commoners alike. By employing an human-animal studies approach to these burials, in this chapter I digress from the archaeological position which views nonhuman animals as calories or constructs to one which includes animal others as impactful upon human social realities.

After grounding this approach in multidisciplinary theory, I bring into the discussion facets of horses, and of human-horse relationships, through both ethological studies of horses and an inside auto-ethnographic research strategy which uses my position within the context of those I shall term working riders: riders who live with and care for horses and possess the ability and knowledge to school them to be ridden. I touch on aspects of human-horse intersubjectivities and situate particular elements of the Pazyryk horse burials. I then attempt to phenomenologically recreate the actual killing of the Pazyryk horse from the perspective of the humans—and the horses—and suggest some mental and emotional processes that might have caused certain behaviors of both at the burial ceremony. Finally I reflect on the viability of creating relational archaeologies of human-animal interactions which allow for both essentialist and constructionist perspectives.

Cat owners and volunteers from a rehoming center were given the Lexington Attachment to Pet Scale (LAPS) questionnaire to assess their level of attachment to their own or rescue cats. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure were measured 10 minutes before, during, and after spending time with the cats. Consistent with other studies, the results here show that spending time with a cat can reduce heart rate and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and that this reduction is generally more pronounced in the cats’ owners rather than in volunteers from a cat rehoming center. In addition, for owners levels of attachment as measured by the LAPS scale are positively associated with this reduction in metabolic measurements before and during pet presence; i.e. the difference (B-D) is positively correlated with the level of attachment. This was not observed for volunteers. Interestingly, however, reported levels of attachment were not significantly different between owners and volunteers. In addition, for owners, duration of ownership had a positive effect on the level of attachment reported and this effect increased sharply after two plus years of ownership. This contribution to Human Animal Interaction (HAI) research suggests that attachment is an important factor in promoting health benefits to owners.

A recent field survey of the elite Middle Kingdom cemetery at Beni Hassan has revealed many unusual animal motifs, including examples of creatures that are rarely attested in the artistic record and entirely new scenes. Two case studies are presented to illustrate the rich zoological repertoire at the site and its potential to enlighten our understanding of the Egyptians’ intriguing relationship with the animal world. These are confirmation of a tame Egyptian mongoose represented in the Eleventh Dynasty tomb of Baqet I (no. 29) and a new image of a pelican in full color in the Eleventh Dynasty tomb of Baqet II (no. 33).

""In many cultural fields honeybees reveal themselves as a highly generative species; one that humans have become dependent on.  Within the backdrop of Colony Collapse Disorder, this essay examines how live bees are used in the production of art works.  Historically, bees have been an absent presence in art as artists have relied upon bees for the raw material they create (wax, honeycomb) and for their metaphorical value.  Most recently, bees themselves have become art by being transformed into sculptural objects or employed in collaborative insect/human performances that depend upon their embodied labor and participation. Using a bee-centric approach, we track the bees’ path across human art worlds, attentive to the complex ecological, agricultural, and cultural systems they co-create. These interspecies exchanges testify not only to trends in contemporary art, but larger ideas about animal/human boundaries and contemporary environmental issues.
""

Paper presented at the HASI Annual Conference, Tel Aviv University, 1-3 June 2021

While research in the emergent field of 'multispecies studies' is diverse, it shares a central aim of expanding our ways of looking at and making sense of the world, inviting in the more-than-human in myriad shapes. In fieldwork, this calls for new or adapted methodologies, such as multispecies ethnography, which seek to include other-than-human animals whose perspectives traditionally get eclipsed or distorted by human-centred methods. However, ethnographers who actively incorporate multispecies methodologies in their research recognise difficulties of doing so. Anthropocentrism and human bias are deeply ingrained in ethnographic research and hardly allow for an unmediated participation of other animals. A key challenge here is that traditional ethnographic methods rely heavily on language, and multispecies ethnographers thus often point towards the lack of linguistic capacity in other animals as an obstacle to engaging them as active participants in their work. Drawing on examples of this rhetoric, I argue that it is less a deficiency on the animals' side but rather a narrow conception of language as human language that hampers our thinking about alternative, more inclusive ways of doing research. Based on this, I explore how attentiveness and respect towards our animal others may foster understanding between 'us' and 'them' through interspecies dialogue.

In this paper, I discuss a specific type of stone tool found at Lepenski Vir: clubs or mallets - which may have been used in fishing as stunners. The significance of large fish species (especially beluga sturgeon) in the diet, settlement patterns and cosmogony of the inhabitants of the Mesolithic-Neolithic settlement of Lepenski Vir (c. 6200-5900. cal. BC) is amply manifested in the archaeological record, namely by significant quantities of sturgeon bones, the famous ‘fishlike’ sandstone sculptures and isotopic dietary signatures of humans buried at the site. Ironically, there is less evidence to suggest how exactly these great animals were caught. The massive and often ornamented stone clubs were initially interpreted as ‘magic’ and ‘ritual’ devices; however, it should be noted that the ‘ritual’ and ‘profane’ uses of an object need not exclude one another. The aim of this paper is to present the material and stylistic properties of these tools, look into and interpret their contextual provenience, and offer an understanding of them not as passive objects, but as powerful agents in dramatic encounters with the big fish.

When two or more minds meet and share experiences something new is created-co-created-and growth becomes possible. When a subject interacts with one or several other subjects, the subject adds his own subjectivity and thereby impacts the experience of all the subjects that take part in the interaction.

This is the core of intersubjectivity theory. In this chapter I am outlining a theory of intersubjectivity that examines horse-human interactions in equine assisted psychotherapy. The theory is based on cognitive science research and theories on intersubjectivity used in psychology, as well as on practical applications of intersubjectivity. With a theoretical framework I find it easier to get closer to an answer to the question why including horses in psychotherapy is so effective. I am, in this chapter, applying the core of the theory of intersubjectivity on human-horse interaction in EAP to answer questions like "What happens between horses and humans in EAP? What is this interaction about? Why is it sometimes better for a client to interact with a horse instead of a human? What is it in the interaction between humans and horses in EAP that is so effective? Why is it so effective? How does the horse know what to do? What is it that the horse does? What are the benefits for the client (and the therapist) when a horse is added to the therapeutic setting?"

Abstract The moral character of China’s single-child generation has been studied by Chinese researchers since the early 1990s. Recent acts of animal cruelty by college students turned this subject of academic inquiry into a topic of public debate. This study joins the inquiry by asking if the perceived unique traits of the single-child generation, i.e. self-centeredness, lack of compassion, and indifference to the feelings of others, are discernible in their attitudes toward animals. Specifically, the study investigates whether the college students are in favor of better treatment of animals, objects of unprecedented exploitation on the Chinese mainland. With the help of two surveys conducted in selected Chinese universities, this study concludes that the college students, a majority of whom belong to the single-child generation, are not morally compromised. A high percentage of the surveyed expressed empathy toward animals and opposed animal cruelty. This finding suggests that upbringing in families with better material conditions has not undercut the moral development of the students. Importantly, the study supports the view that China is philosophically ready for legislation on animal welfare despite the remaining ideological, cultural, and economic factors that discourage societal activism for animal protection.

Social sciences have long considered the nonhuman animals in a utilitarian approach, considering them as objects for humanity. However, rapid growing interests are seen on the study of relationships between human and other animal in contemporary academic research. Anthrozoology has now been an independent discipline to study various aspects of human-animal interactions. However, like many other countries, the disciplinary anthrozoology is still unknown or poorly known in Turkey. Presenting a glimpse on the origin, development, scopes, complexities and future perspectives; this paper primarily aims to illustrate the necessity of anthrozoological researches in Turkey. Moreover, with the help of ethnographical accounts, case studies and some crucial social issues, it further attempts to bring attention of particularly the social scientists in Turkey for re-thinking and re-evaluating the interactions between humans and other animals in broader perspectives.

I leoni (e altri animali) sanno comunicare? Hanno un "logos endiathetos"? Provano gratitudine per i benefici ricevuti? Queste sono fra le domande che animano il dibattito di età imperiale sullo status morale degli animali. La risposta che Plinio offre è tuttavia ambivalente.