Measurement of cortisol levels in dogs during animal-assisted interventions for the evaluation of animal welfare

Abstract

Although quality standards and hazard management for human subjects in animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) have been examined for years, only limited number of studies have explored the welfare state of involving animals. To set animal welfare standards for AAIs involving animals, studies on the stress level of the animals in on-the-job activities are needed. This study examined cortisol levels of the four AAI dogs to compare the stress level in different kinds of activities in the SAAA for children by volunteers with pets. To compare the stress level of AAI dogs according to the characteristics of the participants, the four dogs which have activities with three groups of intellectual disabilities (autistic adult, adult with intellectual disability, and youth with intellectual disabilities) were examined in AKCAAT. Although no significant changes in stress were observed in the saliva cortisol as physiological indicator, the activities demanding stronger human-animal relationships were noted to increase their stress, especially in young and inexperienced dogs. The finding of this study can give the insights for monitoring stress levels in AAI animals and setting the AAI animal welfare guideline in Korea.