Skip to content

Evaluation of 1cp-LSD for Enhancing Welfare in Shelter Dogs: A Randomized Blind Trial with Ethological Intervention.

Elisa Hernández-Álvarez, Cristina Canino-Quijada, Sira Roiz, Octavio P Luzardo, Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández

Veterinary sciences January 19, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci13010096 (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 20
Population Shelter dogs
Interventions 1cp-LSD Ethological intervention
Dose 10 µg
Duration 3-week intervention, 3-week follow-up
Topics LSD
Keywords Animal behavior Animal welfare Ethological intervention Ethology Psychedelics Shelter dogs
Key findings Combined low-dose 1cp-LSD and ethological intervention improved sociability, calmness, and positive emotional reactivity in shelter dogs more than either treatment alone, with effects lasting three weeks.

Abstract

Shelter environments frequently expose dogs to chronic stress and anxiety, which can compromise their welfare and reduce their chances of adoption. Recent interest in psychedelic-assisted approaches has suggested potential therapeutic applications in veterinary behavioral medicine, although empirical evidence remains scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of low-dose 1-cyclopropionyl lysergic acid diethylamide (1cp-LSD), a legal lysergamide prodrug of LSD in several countries, and ethological intervention (EI) on the behavior and welfare of shelter dogs. Twenty dogs were randomly assigned to four groups: pharmacological intervention, ethological intervention, combined treatment, or control. The ethological sessions were conducted by veterinary behaviorists, and pharmacological treatment consisted of 10 µg of 1cp-LSD administered orally for three weeks. Blinded evaluators assessed animals using validated anxiety and welfare scales, including a treatment expectation scale, before, during and after the intervention. Results showed that the combined condition consistently outperformed single interventions, significantly enhancing sociability, calmness, and positive emotional reactivity. Importantly, these improvements persisted for three weeks following treatment cessation, indicating sustained benefits beyond the active intervention phase. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the potential of integrating low doses of psychedelics with behavioral therapy in shelter settings. Future studies with larger cohorts and refined pharmacokinetic data are required to confirm safety, elucidate mechanisms, and optimize protocols for clinical application in veterinary practice.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on LSD, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases 2014 Randomized controlled trial n = 12
Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users 1994 Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study n = 12
Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Healthy subjects (8 women, 8 men) 2014 Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study n = 16
Changes in global and thalamic brain connectivity in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness are attributable to the 5-HT2A receptor Healthy human participants 2018 Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over study n = 24
LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change. Healthy adults 2016 Balanced-order, placebo-controlled study n = 19

Citations in the library

Cited by 1

Cites 16

and 11 more in the library

Related reading

Explore topics

LSD Anxiety Microdosing Psychedelic-assisted therapy