Grass length can affect muzzled grazing behaviour in ponies
Grazing muzzles can be an effective tool to help with equine weight management, according to new research, but longer grass can be more difficult for muzzled ponies to graze. This can cause frustratio...
Animal therapy: can the human-animal bond treat mind and body?
Barely a week passes without a media story claiming that pets benefit human health and well-being. Companion animals are increasingly used as ‘therapeutic tools’ in medical and mental health care. But...
Are you feeding your horse enough hay?
Horses have evolved to graze frequently on small amounts for up to 15 hours a day. But today, horses and ponies are frequently stabled for part or all of the day and fed a limited supply of preserved ...
How pets could aid learning in the classroom
Bringing a dog into a school classroom may delight students, but could it actually help them learn better? The question is increasingly pertinent, as many schools regularly introduce animals into clas...
The right diet can help horses manage gastric ulcer syndrome
News Release from SPILLERS: Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) can affect any horse. It can cause discomfort and may have a detrimental effect on behaviour and performance but new research has confi...
How neurobiology and genetics can help researchers understand human-animal interaction
When you gaze into your dog’s face and he gazes back at you, do you ever wonder what is going on? The ‘mutual gaze’ between individuals is an important aspect of social communication and is essential...
Pets can be good for you – but the evidence shows it’s not quite that simple
When it comes to pet ownership, emotions often run high. Those who share their lives with a pet can be passionate about the benefits they feel their animal companion brings. However, the scientific ev...
Is the pressure to be a ‘responsible’ pet owner increasing?
Britain has long been thought of as a nation of pet lovers. Nearly half of UK households have at least one pet, but the last 40 years have seen many changes in attitudes to animals and their ownership...
