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Nina Spaccarelli UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Animal Science  Romeo after rolling in the mud, a form of enrichment Have you ever visited a place that houses animals, like a farm, shelter, or even a friend's house, and noticed the wide variety of items present in the animal's habitat? Or perhaps you've encountered situations where the absence of enrichment items was apparent. In those instances, you couldn't help but witness firsthand the impact that enrichment activities have on an animal's behavior and mood. Animals are greatly affected by their surroundings, responding to the stimuli they encounter, which significantly shapes their mood and behavior. That's why ensuring proper enrichment is absolutely essential for the well-being and happiness of our beloved animal companions.
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Claire Short UC Davis graduate, Spring 2022 Major: Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology  Me giving a guest lecture in Becca's class I stepped hesitantly into the classroom and snuck past a handful of students who had arrived early. I felt self-conscious sitting down at the front of the room, facing 40 or so green plastic chairs arranged in haphazard rows, most of which would soon be occupied. When Becca first suggested that I give a guest lecture on animal-assisted therapy and experiment design in the class she’s teaching, I was excited. But for the past few days, I had been almost dreading this moment, although I knew that I would stop worrying when I got into the flow of the lecture. When I’m teaching, whether I’m working with humans or other animals, I become more aware of the subtle forms of communication that help me understand my students. This makes me feel more connected with those around me and keeps me in the moment.
Claire Short UC Davis graduate, Spring 2022 Major: Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology  Hanging out with Care Bear and Jellybean I often diligently avoid conflicts, which sometimes means being overly polite or letting other people have their way. But when I feel comfortable fully expressing my opinions, I have always hated to back down. When I was a kid, that compelled me to insist for years that “stragedy” was the correct spelling and change the rules of chess so I could un-checkmate myself. Although I do not condone cheating, my years of practice standing my ground and finding creative ways to come out on top fueled a productive debate at a recent lab meeting. When Jessie critiqued the experiment design that Nora and I had proposed in our presentation, Jessie and I began a battle of wits that evolved into a valuable discussion.
Jessie Ostrove UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Environmental Science and Management  Mary and I having a conversation It’s the end of fall quarter already?! I feel like just yesterday I was loading the mini horses and donkeys off the trailer for the first time into their new home. They’ve really settled in and shown what I believe to be their true personalities now, having gotten comfortable for quite some time. Although they continue to surprise me each and every day, I feel so fulfilled knowing they trust me enough to be their authentic, silly, unique selves.
Nora Bahr UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology  Care Bear enjoying some scratches Amid studying for finals, I find myself yearning for more and more time at the ranch. It really does feel like an escape, a place where I can forget about the daily responsibilities of school and the stressors of life and simply exist with and appreciate animals. When I pass the minis on my way to the pig stall, I send a “Good morning!” their way, and all four of them trot up to the gate to greet me back. After giving Memphis copious head scratches, I make my way to the pigs, and as soon as they hear my footsteps they start squealing. Though ear-splitting, it’s a comforting sound because it reminds me of the strong bond Claire and I have built with them. Each pig perks up and oinks at me when I call their name. I could sit and watch them all day. It’s such a joy to know and be known by animals, and I want to share this feeling with as many people as possible. After spending months training the pigs and designing an experiment, we’re getting closer to achieving that goal.
Jessie Ostrove UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Environmental Science and Management  Mary and Memphis showing how well-behaved they are with little kids grooming them. At the beginning of fall quarter, the various groups in our lab were assigned specific tasks to complete pertaining to our particular projects, interests, and goals. Amidst these blog posts, presentations, and research designs, the Horse and Pig Whisperers have been assigned the ongoing responsibility of training our animals, which has definitely kept all of us very busy. For myself, that means continuing to work with the unique and exciting personalities of our four mini equines, Mary, Memphis, Olivia, and Randy.
Nora Bahr UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology  Carebear and I cuddling It’s been quite a while since my last blog, and a lot has changed on the ranch since then! The pigs and the minis are doing well, and the garden is looking incredible. These past few weeks, we’ve all been focusing more centrally on our research. Our little pigs have been exposed to an abundance of people, regularly interacting with our colleagues and families, so their comfort level approaching strangers has really improved! But, how are we to know if our animals are actually capable of providing therapeutic services for those in need?
Elizabeth Shin UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Landscape Architecture  The design I'm proposing for the new garden site. “In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, — no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature cannot repair” (Emerson, 1836). Nature has often been quoted as a remedy to fundamental human problems. Although research in the field now coined “Green Care” is relatively recent, the healing power of nature has never been questioned throughout history. In spite of this understanding, spaces lack the incorporation of nature in design, particularly in children’s play areas. With population spikes in cities due to “business and social opportunities offered to the people… open spaces that children can use are decreasing” (Acar, 2013). Traditional playgrounds consist of ready-to-play equipment, ranging from posts and decks, compound structures, nets, freestanding structures, and swings. On the other hand, natural playgrounds stimulate development beyond the physical, encouraging “social, emotional, and cognitive development through specific landscape interventions” (Herrington and Studtmann, 1999). In this blog, I will describe the specific natural design interventions I am proposing on the site — for children ages eight to twelve years old — that provide stimulation essential for development.
Claire Short UC Davis graduate, Spring 2022 Major: Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology  Becca's foster kittens taking a nap The tiny calico kitten nestled into the crook of my arm and peered up at me with large eyes that had seen so little of the world. The past couple weeks had been stressful for me, but in that moment, I felt at peace. There was no doubt that Becca’s foster kittens, who she had brought to our weekly lab meeting, had put me in a better state of mind. But I also enjoyed catching up with my coworkers and I was glad just to be back at the ranch after spending too much time at home, so it was hard to tell if the kittens were solely responsible for reducing my stress. Soon after that lab meeting, I chose a scientific paper to present to my coworkers as inspiration for our own future experiments. I had initially hoped that we could incorporate some of the paper’s methods in our research, but I discovered that, like my experience with the kittens at the lab meeting, the study was full of confounding variables. My presentation ended up being mostly a cautionary tale about what to avoid in our own research.
Jessie Ostrove UC Davis undergraduate, 4th year Major: Environmental Science and Management  Randy and Memphis playing with their inflatable ball This week, I had the fun yet daunting task of analyzing a primary research paper and presenting the findings to the lab, while utilizing the methods section to act out the experimental design with my fellow Green Care coworkers. The paper, linked here, titled “Post-Operative Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Pediatric Surgery,” presents information regarding the physiological benefits of animal-assisted therapy for children in hospitals directly following a surgical operation. The researchers ultimately found lower pain scales and greater alertness following anesthesia awakening in the experimental group which received animal-assisted sessions following surgery, compared to the control group which received standard care post-operation. So basically, animal therapy rocks!
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