Background Human-animal interaction (HAI) offers benefits across physical, emotional, psychological, and social spheres of human functioning. The aim of this paper is to delineate how animal companionship, via provision of HAI benefits, offers vital support to people experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic and associated stressors. Method Each of the empirically supported types of HAI benefits – physical, emotional, psychological, and social – will be situated within a biopsychosocial framework of human functioning and considered in terms of how they may help to ameliorate stressors specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Benefits derived from animal companionship may help alleviate physical, emotional, psychological, and social stressors specifically related to experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion Benefits of animal companionship may be particularly salient for well-being and coping when people are experiencing a dramatic increase in stressors via a pandemic crisis. Community responses need to include plans (pet food pantries, temporary foster care, veterinary access/zoonotic safety) for keeping people and their companion animals together during such difficult times. Originality/value This article is unique in that it delineates the animal companionship benefits in terms of how such may help alleviate stressors associated with a pandemic.
The study concerns the decision of the Supreme Court of 14 September 2022, V KK 334/22. The position of the Supreme Court was approved; however three remarks were formulated. The first of them refers to the sources and limits of the guardian's power over the animal. The second one relates to the issue of determining the guardian's competence to consent to the killing of an animal due to the need to reduce suffering under the provisions of the Act of 21 August 1997 on animal protection. The third remark is critical. It describes the weaknesses of the procedure aimed at determining that it is necessary to kill an animal for the reasons referred to in Article 6 section 1 point 3 and Article 4 point 3 of the above-mentioned Act.
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Opracowanie dotyczy postanowienia Sądu Najwyższego z 14.09.2022 r., V KK 334/22. Zaaprobowano stanowisko Sądu Najwyższego, jednak sformułowano trzy uwagi. Pierwsza z nich nawiązuje do źródeł i granic władzy opiekuna nad zwierzęciem. Druga odnosi się do kwestii ustalenia kompetencji opiekuna do wyrażenia zgody na uśmiercenie zwierzęcia z powodu konieczności skrócenia cierpień na podstawie przepisów ustawy z 21.08.1997 r. o ochronie zwierząt. Trzecia uwaga ma charakter krytyczny. Opisuje słabości procedury zmierzającej do ustalenia, że zachodzi konieczność uśmiercenia zwierzęcia z powodów, o których mowa w art. 6 ust. 1 pkt 3 i art. 4 pkt 3 powyższej ustawy.
A nematode Dentostomella translucida was found during parasitological examination of a pet Mongolian gerbil Meriones unguiculatus. Gerbils in the wild are known as hosts of this parasite in Asia, pet gerbils — in the USA and Brazil. Our record is the first in Europe. Complete descriptions of male and female individuals are given.
Preliminary study of memory processes in Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) a small rodent living in the wild steppes of Mongolia was discovered in 1866 and it is becoming increasingly popular as a pet. The present work is an introduction to describe the behavior of this species and to investigate the influence of gender and age on memory process. 40 gerbils divided into four study groups (young males, young females, adult males, adult females) were twice tested in a modified version of the Lashley III maze (repeat after a week). Using statistical tests memory parameters, the activity of animals and behavior associated with the level of stress were analyzed. Conducted observations and calculations performed showed no difference between the groups (p > 0.05), which leads to the conclusion that in Mongolian gerbils age and sex have no effect on memory.
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Wstępne badanie procesów pamięciowych u myszoskoczka mongolskiego (Meriones unguiculatus).Myszoskoczek mongolski (Meriones unguiculatus) to mały gryzoń dziko żyjący na stepach Mongolii, odkryty w 1866 roku i stający się coraz bardziej popularny jako zwierzę domowe. Niniejsza praca stanowi wprowadzenie do opisania zachowania tego gatunku oraz zbadanie wpływu płci i wieku na procesy pamięci. 40 myszoskoczków podzielonych na cztery badane grupy (młode samce, młode samice, dorosłe samce, dorosłe samice) zostało dwukrotnie zbadanych zmodyfikowaną wersją labiryntu Lashley'a III (powtórzenie po tygodniu). Za pomocą testów statystycznych analizowano procesy pamięciowe, aktywność zwierząt oraz zachowania związane z poziomem stresu. Przeprowadzone analizy nie wykazały różnic między grupami (p > 0.05), co prowadzi do wniosku, że u myszoskoczków mongolskich wiek i płeć nie mają wpływu na procesy pamięciowe.