MONITORAGGIO FUNZIONALE ED ETOLOGICO DEL BENESSERE DI CANI IMPIEGATI IN ATTIVITÀ ASSISTITE DAGLI ANIMALI.

The welfare of 5 dogs involved in Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) in a rest home was assessed, using endocrine (fecal and salivary cortisol, FC and SC), behavioral and clinical stress-correlated parameters. The dogs participated in a 7-weeks program, with weekly AAA sessions. Welfare assessment was performed in three phases: over the 3 weeks before the program, before and after each AAA session, and over the 4 weeks after the program. FC and SC varied within physiological ranges (FC: before program 4.82 ± 2.71; 24h before session 1.86 ± 1.78; 24h after session 1.80 ± 0.99; after program 1.40 ± 1.15 ng/g d.m.; SC: before session 4.70 ± 1.30; after session 3.68 ± 1.11 nmol/L; Mean ± SD). Behaviours displayed after AAA sessions indicate need for exercise and interaction with conspecifics. None of the monitored parameters indicated that AAA impair the welfare of the dogs.