Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33572936›Full record

ArticleAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2021

Cortisol Levels of Shelter Dogs in Animal Assisted Interventions in a Prison: An Exploratory Study.

Danila d'Angelo, Serenella d'Ingeo, Francesca Ciani, Michele Visone, Luigi Sacchettino, Luigi Avallone, Angelo Quaranta

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Dogs' Behavioural Responses to Dog-Assisted Interventions: A Field Study.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Behavioral, Physiological, and Pathological Approaches of Cortisol in Dogs.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Human-Dog Relationship during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Danila d'AngeloDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Serenella d'IngeoAnimal Physiology and Behavior Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70100 Bari, Italy.
Francesca CianiDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Michele VisoneDog Park, Ottaviano, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Luigi SacchettinoDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Luigi AvalloneDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Angelo QuarantaAnimal Physiology and Behavior Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70100 Bari, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Previous studies regarding the Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) have mainly focused on the beneficial effects of human-animal interactions on human health; whereas the impact of such activities on the welfare of the animals involved has received limited attention. So far, few studies have addressed this issue by evaluating the physiological and behavioral reactions of therapy dogs during the interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of AAI on the cortisol levels of shelter dogs. Five dogs participated in weekly AAI working activities with adult inmates held at a prison of the South of Italy for two months. Saliva samples were collected every two weeks in three conditions: at the kennel (baseline), after transportation and at the end of the working sessions. The results revealed a significant decrease in the cortisol baseline at the end of the AAI program, suggesting that the activities carried out with humans and in a different environment could improve the welfare of dogs housed in kennels. Moreover, we found that transportation significantly increased subjects' cortisol levels, suggesting that it is a critical phase that deserves particular care.

Indexed as

Animal Assisted Interventionscortisolphysiologyshelter dogswelfare

Identifiers

PMID33572936
PMCPMC7911336

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.