News about Animals

Major bird study could help us fight the next pandemic

New study uncovers the intricate factors that drive the evolution of genomes.

Behavioral genetic analysis on dogs

The aim of this study is to describe personality traits in eight dog breeds using the Behaviour and Personality Description in Dogs (BPH) test, and subsequently to assess their heritability.

How much do people really care about animal welfare?

Professor Peter Sandøe participated in the Animal Welfare Seminar 2025 - 'Animal ethics and animal welfare - values informing outcomes' organized by RSPCA Australia. Peter gave a talk on people's attitudes to animals an…

Ethicists' commentary on balancing religious tolerance and animal welfare

Ethical question of the month, December 2024 As a veterinarian contemplating a position at a federal meat processing plant, I am extremely uncomfortable with the recent federal injunction to forgo the requirement to…

Changes in management of owned cats in the countryside

This study investigates changes in the management of owned domestic cats (Felis catus) in a rural area of Denmark, at two points in time separated by 24 years.

Ethicists' commentary on disagreements in course of treatment

Ethical question of the month, November 2024 You and a colleague are disagreeing on a policy matter in your practice regarding a senior horse treatment. Many senior horses suffer from a pituitary disorder, pituitary par…

A consensus on the definition of positive animal welfare

The paper presents a proposed definition of positive animal welfare: ‘PAW can be defined as the animal flourishing through the experience of predominantly positive mental states and the development of competence and…

A new future for dog breeding

This paper gives an overview of recent trends in companion dog breeding and discuss to what extent they will serve to promote healthy dogs that function well in their various roles in today’s world.

Chronic enteropathy in dogs affects the quality of life in both dogs and their owners

This paper examines the Quality of Life (QoL) of dogs with chronic enteropathy and how their owners and veterinarians assess it.

Behavioural and physiological indicators of hoof trimming stress

Field study in juvenile stabel- and forestborn Konik Polski horses showing that restraint may affect equine behavioural and cardic stress indicators.

Ethicists' commentary on appropriate professional actions for a complex situation

Ethical question of the month, October 2024 You are a recent graduate working in a resort town with no overnight emergency hospital. A client on vacation in a motor home brings in a small dog that is having difficulty…

Newsletter December 2024

This newsletter includes important information on the below mentioned topics. We encourage everyone to review the relevant sections carefully, as some of these updates may have an impact on daily activities. New…

Ethicists’ commentary on dangerous dog assessments

Ethical question of the month, September 2024 You are a veterinarian hired in your region as an authority to assess dangerous dogs. The counties you work with have differing regulations regarding dogs that are deemed to…

Price increases from January 1, 2025

General pricing The following general price increases have been decided for internal users in 2025: 8 pct. (including the regular 3 pct. P/L) price increase for rodent housing 13 pct. (including the regular 3 pct. P/L)…

Lifetime health care costs for dogs based on data from seven veterinary clinics in Denmark

Nielsen, S. S., Larsen, C. H., Frederiksen, J. M., Christensen, T., & Sandøe, P. (2025) Preventive Veterinary Medicine. Elsevier Abstract Reports indicate that owners believe the health care costs for their dogs are too…

The avian influenza epidemiology group at the ISVEE17 conference in Sydney

On 11 to 15 November 2024, Helene Ane Jensen, Yangfan Liu, Lene Jung Kjær and Carsten Kirkeby attended the 17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, ISVEE17, in Sydney, Australia.

Ethicists’ commentary on the veterinary-client-patient relationship

Ethical question of the month, August 2024 A veterinarian sees a cat with respiratory issues and prescribes appropriate support care. The cat’s condition declines over the next day (which is a holiday). The veterinarian…

AI can now be our eyes and ears in the forest and beneath the waves

Animal sounds combined with artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize biodiversity monitoring both on land and in aquatic settings according to researchers from the University of Copenhagen. By analyzing wildlife…

Seven New Frog Species Discovered in Madagascar: Sounds Like Something from Star Trek

An international team of researchers have discovered seven new species of tree frogs that make otherworldly calls in the rainforests of Madagascar. Their strange, high-pitched whistling calls sound more like sound…

Workshop on Streptococcus agalactiae in the Nordic countries

Udder health researchers from Norway, Sweden and Finland were invited to Copenhagen for a workshop in the Danish project “Sikker diagnostik i B-streptokokbesætninger”.

Oral behaviour during riding is associated with oral lesions in dressage horses – A field study

This study included 11 warmblood dressage horses, randomly selected for oral inspection after competition. Five of eleven inspected horses had abrasion of the skin and/or mucosa.

Avian Influenza Epidemiology group at UCPH hosted an online seminar, “Nordfugl 2024”

On 4 October 2024, the Avian Influenza Epidemiology group at UCPH hosted an online seminar, “Nordfugl 2024”, with the aim of exchanging information on research and surveillance of avian influenza between the Nordic…

Ethicists’ commentary - Lack of authorized medication for animals in the food chain

Ethical question of the month, July 2024 In Canada, there are an increasing number of small-herd goat dairies and families who are keeping milking goats for their own consumption. Infestation with chewing lice is a…

Gene Editing Cattle for Enhancing Heat Tolerance: A Welfare Review of the “PRLR‑SLICK Cattle” Case

Pozzebon, M., Guldbrandtsen, B. & Sandøe, P. (2024) Nanoethics. Springer Nature Abstract In March 2022 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a risk assessment of a recent animal gene editing proposal…