Human contact.
Abstract
Human-animal relationships are viewed in various ways, but from an ethological perspective they can be conceptualized in terms of inter-individual relationships. This chapter will review the influence of human contact on the welfare of domestic (farm and companion) animals and zoo animals. The model used will be the relationship between humans and farm animals, the subject of the majority of ethological and psychological studies on human-animal relationships. There are three main lines of evidence concerning the implications for the welfare of domestic (farm and companion) animals and zoo animals: handling studies in field settings; field observations on human-animal interactions; and intervention studies in field settings. Although handling at an early age may be highly influential, subsequent handling is also influential and has the potential to modify early learning effects. Conditioning and habituation to humans, occurring both early and later in life, are probably the most influential factors affecting the behavioural and physiological responses of these animals to humans. While there has been less research conducted on zoo animals, there is a developing scientific literature on the effects of humans, particularly zoo visitors, on zoo animals. Furthermore, there is an increasing interest in understanding the influence of the human-animal relationship on companion animal welfare, but there is little empirical evidence. This review highlights the important role and respons…
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Behaviours such as huddling, vigilance and in particular avoidance are indicators of fear of humans in animals and linked with physiological correlates of fear such as increased blood glucocorticoid and glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations.
“Behaviours such as huddling, vigilance and in particular avoidance, have been widely documented as indicators of fear of humans in animals and linked with physiological correlates of fear such as increased blood glucocorticoid and glucocorticoid metabolite (GM) concentrations (Gray 1987;Hemsworth and Coleman 2011;Hemsworth et al. 2018;Sherwen and Hemsworth 2019).”
From Effects of the presence of zoo visitors on zoo‐housed little penguins ( <i>Eudyptula minor</i> ) (2022) · cites this paper as Hemsworth et al. 2018
Avoidance behaviours are an indicator of fear of humans in animals.
“It is well established that avoidance behaviours are an indicator of fear of humans in animals (Hemsworth et al. 2018;Sherwen and Hemsworth 2019).”
From Effects of the presence of zoo visitors on zoo‐housed little penguins ( <i>Eudyptula minor</i> ) (2022) · cites this paper as Hemsworth et al. 2018
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The Power of a Positive Human–Animal Relationship for Animal Welfare
Rault, J., Waiblinger, S., Boivin, X., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2020) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.590867 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Self-citationCosts and Benefits of Improving Farm Animal Welfare
Fernandes, J. N., Hemsworth, P. H., Coleman, G. J., & Tilbrook, A. J. (2021) · Agriculture · doi:10.3390/agriculture11020104 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
Self-citationNatural behaviours, their drivers and their implications for laying hen welfare
Hemsworth, P. H., & Edwards, L. E. (2020) · Animal Production Science · doi:10.1071/an19630 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Self-citationConceptualising dog owner motivations: The Pet Care Competency model and role of ‘duty of care’
Glanville, C. R., Hemsworth, P. H., & Coleman, G. J. (2020) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.7120/09627286.29.3.271 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationVisitor Attitudes Toward Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Two Australian Zoos
Chiew, S. J., Hemsworth, P. H., Melfi, V. A., Sherwen, S. L., Burns, A., & Coleman, G. J. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.626185 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationFife-Cook, I., & Franks, B. (2021) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani11030706 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Hemsworth, P. H., Tilbrook, A. J., Galea, R. Y., Lucas, M. E., Chidgey, K. L., & Hemsworth, L. M. (2023) · Frontiers in Animal Science · doi:10.3389/fanim.2023.1230830 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationEffects of the presence of zoo visitors on zoo‐housed little penguins ( <i>Eudyptula minor</i> )
Chiew, S. J., Butler, K. L., Fanson, K. V., Eyre, S., Coleman, G. J., Sherwen, S. L., Melfi, V., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2022) · New Zealand Journal of Zoology · doi:10.1080/03014223.2021.1896560 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Self-citationMitin, H., ZULKIFLI, I., Meng, G. Y., Sazili, A. Q., & Awad, E. A. (2023) · Applied Animal Behaviour Science · doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2023.106108 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Pastrana-Camacho, A. P., la Lama, G. C. M., & Estévez-Moreno, L. X. (2025) · Preventive Veterinary Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106462 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Pajtášová, J., Korim, P., Chudý, M., Kvokačka, V., Korimova, J., & Nagyová, A. (2025) · Acta Veterinaria Brno · doi:10.2754/avb202594020119 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Brusin, V., Windeyer, M. C., Pearson, J. M., Pajor, E. A., & Ceballos, M. C. (2025) · Applied Animal Behaviour Science · doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106583 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
GRT suínos: risk management system for thermal comfort in pigs
Gregolin, F. (2023) · doi:10.11606/t.11.2023.tde-05062023-145955 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Effects of habituation to humans of pasture-born beef calves
OKADO, H., & Ninomiya, S. (2020) · Nihon Chikusan Gakkaiho · doi:10.2508/chikusan.91.259
Assessing Visitor Effects on Zoo Animals
Learmonth, M. J., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2024) · CABI eBooks · doi:10.1079/9781800622715.0007
Self-citationMeasuring the Visitor Experience
Chiew, S. J., Learmonth, M. J., & Hemsworth, L. M. (2024) · CABI eBooks · doi:10.1079/9781800622715.0011
Grajales-Cedeño, J. K., Andrioli, M., & da Costa, M. J. R. P. (2024) · Revista investigaciones agropecuarias · doi:10.48204/j.ia.v6n2.a5168
Cohen, S., Lomax, S., Hemsworth, L. M., Tripovich, J. S., Slavich, E., Brandis, K., & Becker, J. A. (2026) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.1017/awf.2026.10064
Lam, S. Q. Y., Jessiman, L. J., & Naydani, C. J. (2026) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.1017/awf.2026.10111
- Authors
- Hemsworth, P. H., Sherwen, S. L., & Coleman, G. J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Venue
- Animal welfare
- Publisher
- CAB International
- Published
- 2018-01
- Pages
- 294-314
- OpenAlex
- W4241303000
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 10.47
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- CABI Publishing eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Social Sciences › Geography, Planning and Development › Geographies of human-animal interactions
- Keywords
- human-animal relations, livestock, zoo animals, companion animals, habituation, stress physiology, zoo visitors
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