"Socialisation is an important factor for well-being of beagles in education"

There is a growing focus on animal welfare, not least in the degree programmes of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Students are taught about welfare early on in their studies and can also choose to take modules and do internships in that field. Student Olivier Weber chose the 'Animal Welfare Management' track in his master's. He researched the risks and areas of improvement for the welfare of beagles used in veterinary education. To this end, he visited two locations: Utrecht University and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain. The result is a dissertation full of valuable insights and practical tips.

How did you come up with the idea for this research?

“I volunteered for the puppy team at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine during my Master’s, where I helped nurse, rear and socialise teaching dogs. I saw that there was room for improvement and was curious to see how other faculties were working on the welfare of teaching animals."

The welfare of beagles in veterinary education is an under-researched topic. Very little literature is available because it involves a specific purpose into which scant research has been done; it is a niche area. By studying two locations, Weber wanted to discover risk factors and areas for improvement.

What were the key findings?

"Utrecht University is doing well when it comes to nutrition, animal caretakers follow feeding protocols closely. There’s also a comprehensive protocol at the University of Barcelona, but employees don’t comply with it consistently. They don’t always weigh the food properly, so some dogs are overweight. That has an impact on their well-being.

"Hang the thermometer closer to the dogs"

Housing also plays an important role, says Weber. "In Utrecht, 32 dogs live in kennels; alone or in pairs. The interaction in beagles that live in pairs is good for the dogs, it can be enriching. In Barcelona, a group of eight beagles live together in one large outdoor enclosure, which is partially covered. The advantage here is that they have more living space and social interaction. But this kind of group housing is only advantageous if the group is stable."

Socialisation of the dogs, he says, is another important factor. "During the socialisation phase, they get used to certain actions, such as putting on and taking off a collar or opening their mouths, so this is less stressful to them later on. The team builds this up slowly, so the puppies can settle in in a relaxed way. In Barcelona, the dogs are not socialised very much: There is a semi-enclosed area where dogs that have been bought can get used to their new situation. Because breeding kennels are not transparent about their socialisation programme, the dogs purchased by the University of Barcelona are not well prepared for their lives as teaching animals. They are likely to experience more stress."

How can we improve the welfare of beagles?

"I have a number of suggestions for improving the exercise and cleaning protocol, and temperature control and hygiene, for example. Some tips can be put into practice straight away. For example, students can let the beagles out more often and for longer if they combine this with their practicals. They currently voluntarily walk the dogs during their break, often for no more than 10 minutes. Practicals are 20 minutes shorter than before to improve the welfare of the dogs. This allows for 20 minutes of walking time for the dogs. The dogs will also already be out of their kennels by then, so rounding them up won't cause additional stress." 

"Rotate toys so they remain a source of enrichment for the dogs"

It is also easy to change how the temperature is measured, says Weber. "Currently, the thermometer is at eye level for humans and the heat lamps come on when it’s below 16 degrees. But on the ground, where the beagles walk, it’s already 13 or 14 degrees at that time. My tip: Hang the thermometer at the height of the dogs." He believes that the cleaning protocol could also be improved. "Currently, Utrecht University employs external cleaners. Some of them are afraid of dogs, which creates stress for both the cleaners and the dogs. One solution is for the animal caretakers to clean the enclosures themselves. They have already suggested that they would like to do this." 

"I also recommend rotating the dogs' toys more often so they don’t get so used to them and they remain a source of enrichment for the dogs. Putting the radio on can help make the animals less frightened by unexpected noises. Minor adjustments like this can have a big impact on the welfare of teaching animals." 

What are the next steps?

 "I hope both universities will follow my tips. It would also be interesting to give or sell to Barcelona a dog that has already been socialised to university life. Hopefully, we’ll continue to exchange information in other areas as well. It would be nice to see more research on the welfare of teaching animals."

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