Refinement Database

Database on Refinement of Housing, Husbandry, Care, and Use of Animals in Research

This database, created in 2000, is updated every four months with newly published scientific articles, books, and other publications related to improving or safeguarding the welfare of animals used in research.

Tips for using the database:

  • This landing page displays all of the publications in the database.
  • Use the drop-down menus to filter these publications by Animal Type, Setting, and/or Topic.
  • Clicking on a parent category (e.g., Rodent) will include publications relating to all the items in that category (e.g., Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, etc.).
  • You may also add a keyword to further narrow your search.
  • Please note that at this time, only publications dated 2010 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Animal Type and Topic, and only publications dated 2020 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Setting. Most publications older than 2010 can only be searched by keyword. 
Batchelor, G. R. 1993. An enriched commune housing system for laboratory rats - a preliminary view. Animal Technology 44, 201-213.

I believe that rats housed in research laboratories in polypropylen boxes with a floor area of 1600 sqcm and a height of 20 cm are ethologically, physiologically and psychologically aberrant and cannot be considered as...

Barnett, J. L., Hemsworth, P. H., Cronin, G. M. et al. 1992. Effects of pen size, partial stalls and method of feeding on welfare-related behavioural and physiological responses in group-housed pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34, 207-202.

There may be welfare advantages of housing pigs in pens with partial stalls both in the short term, on the basis of reduced aggression, and in the long term by also feeding in the partial...

Arey, D. S. 1992. Straw and food as reinforcers for prepartal sows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 33, 217-226.

It was concluded that the importance of straw approached that of feed, particularly during the 24 h before farrowing when sows were motivated to nest-build.

Arellano, P. E., Pijoan, C., Jacobson, L. D. et al. 1992. Stereotyped behaviour, social interactions and suckling pattern of pigs housed in groups or in single crates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 35, 157-166.

Our observations confirm that providing straw and space for exercise reduced the frequency of stereotypies (14.9 per sow-hour), but did not completely suppress them (0.3 per sow-hour). ... Sows in crates demonstrated more stereotypies, whereas...

Appleby, M. C., Smith, S. F., Hughes, B. O. 1992. Individual perching behaviour of laying hens and its effects in cages. British Poultry Science 33, 227-238.

Caged hens spent more time on softwood perches than on hardwood, metal or plastic perches. Overall, birds spent about 25% of the day time on perches.

Apple, J. K., Craig, J. V. 1992. The influence of pen size on toy preference of growing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 35, 149-155.

We conclude that the addition of a soft, pliable, rubber dog toy enriches the environment of confined pigs, and could reduce or alter aggressive and stereotypic behaviors commonly associated with confinement operations.

American Medical Association 1992. Use of Animals in Biomedical Research - The Challenge and Response - An American Medical Association White Paper. AMA. Group on Science and Technology, Chicago, IL.

Biomedical experiments are conducted in accordance with the principles of the scientific method developed by the French physiologist, Claude Bernard, in 1865. This method established two requirements for the conduct of a valid experiment:(1) control...

Wood, W. 1992. A theoretical approach to environmental enrichment from the perspective of occupational therapy. ChimpanZoo Conference Proceedings, 55-61.

By providing chimps with occupational opportunities, we empower them to act and to exert control over themselves and their environment.

Woods, S. 1992. An evaluation of browse as behavioral enrichment for captive gorillas. American Journal of Primatology 27, 64 (Abstract).

It was concluded that a browse program can be effective as behavioral enrichment for captive gorillas.

Woods, S. 1992. Implementation and evaluation of a behavioral enrichment program for captive gorillas, with an emphasis on tool behaviors (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Dissertation Abstracts International A53(6), 1990.

Providing captive gorillas with problems to be solved, including those that require the use of tools, is an effective way of increasing the animals' activity and challenging their intelligence.

Wrangham, R. W. 1992. Living naturally: Aspects of wild environments relevant to captive chimpanzee management. In: Chimpanzee Conservation and Public Health: Environments for the Future. Erwin, J. , Landon, J. C. (eds), 71-81. Diagnon/Bioqual, Rockville, MD.

Discussion of activity budgets of chimpanzees living in their natural habitat. The animals spend about 50% of the time feeding, 15% of the time resting, less than 15% of the time grooming each other.

Williams, L. E., Palughi, P. J., Cushman, A. et al. 1992. Vegetables as dietary enrichment for Saimiri. American Journal of Primatology 27, 63-64 (Abstract).

In all cases vegetables were consumed quickly, with celery and bell peppers being the preferred vegetables, followed closely by squash. String beans required more effort to eat and were usually the last to be eaten...

Wiard, J. 1992. Reduction of regurgitation and reingestion (R&R) in lowland gorillas at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Gorilla Gazette 6(3), 6-7.

The addition of browse or hay to the diet of captive gorilla reduces the occurrence of R&R [regurgitation-reingestion]. Novelty items tend to reduce R&R for short periods of time. Manipulation of how and when food...

Watson, L. M. 1992. Effect of an enrichment device on stereotypic and self-aggressive behaviors in singly-caged macaques: A pilot study. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 31(3), 8-10.

The [single-housed] macaques in this study showed a decrease in self-directed behavior, especially self-biting, floating limb, hair pulling, and excessive licking, when treats were in the feeder. Paradoxically, both pacing and rocking increased when treats...

Washburn, D. A., Rumbaugh, D. M. 1992. Investigations of rhesus monkey video-task performance: Evidence for enrichment*. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 31(5), 6-10.

The animals have been observed to work even in the presence of freely available food.... These data suggest that acquiring food is the critical motivation of each monkey.

Viso, M., Florence, G. 1992. Physiology and environmental enrichment of rhesus monkeys on board the Space Shuttle. Folia Primatologica 58(3), 162-163. (Primate Meeting Abstract)

The two animals will be able to see each other through a transparent window. Video monitors which can be controlled using a joystick will serve as enrichment. Preliminary tests have shown that trained animals are...

Swedo, S. E., Leonard, H. L. 1992. Trichotillomania: an obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 15, 777-790.
Swanson, J. C., Kreger, M. D., Berry, D. J. et al. 1992 & 1991. Environmental Enrichment Information Resources for Nonhuman Primates: 1987-1992 & Primates: 1987-1990. Animal Welfare Information Center, Belsville, MD.

References sorted under the following main headings:General, Great Apes, Lesser Apes, Old World Monkeys, New World Monkeys, Prosimians, Author Index

Suleman, M. A. 1992. Life enrichment for baboons and two East African cercopithecine monkeys in outdoor group cages. Congress of the International Primatological Society , 297-298 (Abstract).

Several inanimate and feeding enrichment strategies for group-housed animals are summarized.

Simeon, D., Stanley, B., Frances, A. 1992. Self-mutilation in personality disorders: Psychological and biological correlates. American Journal of Psychiatry 149, 221-226.

Clinically significant forms of self-mutilation occur predominantly in mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorders and major psychotic disorders.

Scott, L. 1992. Monitoring welfare and evaluating the impact of environmental manipulations in non-human primates housed under laboratory conditions. Congress of the International Primatological Society , 36 (Abstract).

The need for a sound scientific environmental enrichment methodology is underscored.

Schwenk, B. 1992. Bungee jumping monkeys. Animal Keepers' Forum 19(12), 437-438.

The three adults have never been seen on the bungee cord. The oldest offspring only uses it to aid himself in jumping to the floor from the crossbar. For the five younger offspring, the bungee...

Schapiro, S. J., Lee-Parritz, D. E., Taylor, L. L. et al. 1992. Behavioral management of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rhesus macaques. Congress of the International Primatological Society , 52 (Abstract).

Inanimate enrichment procedures were successful in normalizing behavioral disorders (e.g., self-grooming) for young single-housed animals.

Rudd, P. 1992. Tips for handling small primates. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 31(5), 45.

Small primates, such as squirrel monkeys, can easily be trained or conditioned to obey simple commands. Training techniques are not described. No data are included in this article.

Ruempler, U. 1992. Occupational possibilities for primates in zoos [German text with English captions and summary]. Zeitschrift des Kolner Zoo 35(2), 47-48.

Some feeding and inanimate enrichment options used by a variety of different species kept in zoos are described.