Behavior and Welfare Flashcards

An ESA dog barks continuously whenever its owner leaves the room. This behavior most likely indicates:

Answer: Separation anxiety

Continuous barking upon the owner's departure is a hallmark sign of separation anxiety in ESAs.

Which welfare principle is violated when an ESA is confined to a small crate for 12 or more hours per day?

Answer: Freedom to express normal behavior

The Five Freedoms include the freedom to express normal behavior, which is impossible in prolonged confinement.

A cat ESA begins over-grooming to the point of creating bald patches. This is best classified as:

Answer: Psychogenic alopecia linked to stress

Psychogenic alopecia in cats is a stress-related compulsive grooming disorder that can emerge in emotionally dysregulated environments.

Positive reinforcement is preferred over punishment-based training for ESAs primarily because:

Answer: It builds trust without inducing fear or anxiety

Positive reinforcement strengthens desirable behaviors while preserving the trust and emotional bond critical to an ESA's therapeutic role.

Which scenario best demonstrates an ESA fulfilling its welfare need for social interaction?

Answer: The owner schedules daily play and bonding sessions with the ESA

Regular interactive bonding sessions meet the ESA's social needs while reinforcing the therapeutic human-animal bond.

An ESA rabbit repeatedly circles its enclosure and gnaws on cage bars. These are signs of:

Answer: Stereotypic behaviors indicating poor welfare

Stereotypies such as circling and bar-gnawing in rabbits indicate chronic stress or environmental deprivation.

Under the Five Freedoms framework, which need is addressed by providing an ESA with a consistent daily routine?

Answer: Freedom from fear and distress

Predictable routines reduce uncertainty and chronic stress, directly addressing the freedom from fear and distress.