Human interaction and cortisol: can human contact reduce stress for shelter dogs?
Abstract
Animal shelters are an extremely stressful environment for a dog, most specifically due to social isolation and novel surroundings. The stress response of dogs housed in this environment may be alleviated through human interaction shortly after arrival. During their second day in a public animal shelter, adult stray dogs were either engaged in a human contact session or not. The session involved taking the dog into an outdoor enclosure, playing with the dog, grooming, petting and reviewing basic obedience commands. Each dog interacted with a human for approximately 45 min. Salivary cortisol levels were examined from each dog on their 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 9th day of housing. Animals that engaged in a human contact session had lower cortisol levels on day 3 than animals that did not. Breed type, sex and age did not have an effect on cortisol levels on any day measured. A human interaction session can be beneficial to both animal welfare and adoption procedures. The current study not only utilized the human contact session as a treatment to reduce stress but also as a resource for individual temperament/personality information that could be later used to facilitate compatible adoptions. Human interaction may be an effective means of reducing the cortisol response of dogs in the aversive shelter environment.
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Two main reasons underlie the development of ARBs in companion animals: first, many companion animals are social species eager for social contact, and the need for social contact with either conspecifics and/or humans can remain unfulfilled if owners work from nine to five, five days a week with the pet staying alone at home on a daily basis.
“Two main reasons underlie the development of ARBs in our companion animals. First of all, a lot of companion animals are social species eager for social contact. In the human–companion animal bond, the need for social contact with either conspecifics and/or humans [70,71] can remain unfulfilled if owners work from nine to five, five days a week with the pet staying alone at home on a daily basis.”
From A One Health Perspective on the Human-Companion Animal Relationship with Emphasis on Zoonotic Aspects. (2020) · cites this paper as [71]
Within shelters, dogs are exposed to environmental stressors such as noise, novelty, unpredictability, confinement for extended periods, and minimal human interactions.
“Within shelters, dogs are exposed to a variety of environmental stressors such as noise (2), novelty, unpredictability, confinement for extended periods (3), and minimal human interactions (4).”
From Combined enrichment and pharmaceutical intervention reduces excessive arousal in shelter dogs in a randomized controlled trial (2026) · cites this paper as [4]
Previous research in shelter dogs has demonstrated reductions in behavioral and physiological indicators of negative affect through provisions of positive human-animal interactions.
“While research to date has not specifically explored ways to reduce excessive arousal, previous research in shelter dogs has demonstrated reductions in behavioral (e.g., vocalizations, panting) and physiological (e.g., heart rate and cortisol) indicators of negative affect through provisions of positive human-animal interactions, such as petting sessions or physical exercise (4, 27–33).”
From Combined enrichment and pharmaceutical intervention reduces excessive arousal in shelter dogs in a randomized controlled trial (2026) · cites this paper as [4]
Shelter dogs exposed to 45 min human contact sessions had lower glucocorticoid concentration than dogs not exposed to these sessions.
“One study looked at the impacts of a 45 min human contact session on shelter dogs and found that dogs that were exposed to these human contact sessions had lower glucocorticoid concentration than dogs that were not exposed to this human contact [26].”
From The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare (2019) · cites this paper as [26]
Cites
Hennessy, M. B., T. Williams, M., Miller, D. D., Douglas, C. W., & Voith, V. L. (1998) · Applied Animal Behaviour Science · doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(98)00179-8 · Cited by 295 · see citing works
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Overgaauw, P. A. M., Vinke, C. M., van Hagen, M. A. E., & Lipman, L. J. A. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17113789 · Cited by 301 · see citing works
“In the human–companion animal bond, the need for social contact with either conspecifics and/or humans [70,71] can remain unfulfilled if owners work from nine to five, five days a week with the pet staying alone at home on a daily basis.”
BackgroundThe visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare
Sherwen, S. L., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2019) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani9060366 · Cited by 267 · see citing works
“One study looked at the impacts of a 45 min human contact session on shelter dogs and found that dogs that were exposed to these human contact sessions had lower glucocorticoid concentration than dogs that were not exposed to this human contact [26].”
BackgroundFifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016: Vienna, Austria. 11–13 July 2016
Simón, F., Kartashev, V., González-Miguel, J., Rivera, A., Diosdado, A., Gómez, P. J., Morchón, R., Siles-Lucas, M., Kartashev, V., Bastrikov, N., et al. (2017) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1902-x · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Nogueira, L. B., Palme, R., & Mendonça-Furtado, O. (2021) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani11082264 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Cisneros, A., O’Hanley, K., Moody, C. M., & Stellato, A. C. (2026) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2026.1931203
- Authors
- Coppola, C. L., Grandin, T., & Enns, R. M.
- Affiliations
- Colorado State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Coppola, Crista L.
- Venue
- Physiology & Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-03
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 537-541
- ISSN
- 0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115773075
- Cited by
- 274
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 3.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- shelter dogs, human contact, salivary cortisol, stress reduction, animal welfare, stray dogs, social isolation, novel environment, adoption, temperament assessment, dog personality, obedience training
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Human-Animal Bond, Dogs, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Saliva, Stress, Psychological
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