Training veterinary students in animal behavior to preserve the human-animal bond.
Knowledge of animal behavior is an extremely important component of modern veterinary practice. Appreciation of species-typical behavior helps to ensure that veterinary patients are handled safely and humanely, and plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of health and welfare problems in animals, including the recognition of pain and distress. Veterinary students who acquire a good understanding of animal behavior will be better clinicians and will be best able to promote and repair the "human-animal bond," that important connection between people and their pets. Animal behavior problems can negatively impact this critical relationship, leading to abandonment, re-homing, relinquishment to an animal shelter, and sometimes premature euthanasia of the animal. Therefore, identifying, preventing, and treating behavior problems is important in maintaining the human-animal bond. Education in animal behavior should be an essential part of the veterinary curriculum; a board-certified veterinary behaviorist should be an integral member of the veterinary college faculty.
Sherman
Barbara L
BL
Department of Clinical Sciences, Animal Behavior Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC 27606-1499, USA. barbara_sherman@ncsu.edu
Serpell
James A
JA
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000523:psychology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003479:Curriculum; D004520:Education, Veterinary; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D012919:Social Behavior; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders; D013334:Students; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*