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. 
Bayne, K. 1992. Nonhuman Primates: Environmental Enrichment (Slide Series With Commentary). Health Sciences Center for Educational Resources University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

A slide series with commentary, introducing the need for environmental enrichment, to enable the viewer to recommend environmental enrichment options that may be appropriate for the primates in their care, and to provide guidelines for...

Boivin, X., Le Neindre, P., Chupin, J. M. 1992. Establishment of cattle-human relationships. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 32, 325-335.

The effects of short periods of handling on the subsequent behaviour of calves suckled by their mothers and living outdoors all year round were investigated in two experiments and individual tests. During the handling test...

Blom, H. J. M., Van Vorstenbosch, C. J. A. H. V., Baumans, V. et al. 1992. Description and validation of a preference test system to evaluate housing conditions for laboratory mice. Applied Animal Welfare Science 35, 67-82.

A preference test system is described in detail.

Blokhuis, H. J., van der Haar, J. W. 1992. Effects of pecking incentives during rearing on feather pecking of laying hens. British Poultry Science 33, 17-24.

The provision of grain or other objects - which encourage pecking behaviour - during rearing reduces the incidence of feather pecking when the animals are mature.

Beynen, A. C. 1992. Communication between rats of experiment-induced stress and its impact on experimental results. Animal Welfare 1, 153-159.

Stressful experimental procedures can give rise to signals or odours that affect non-treated animals present in the same or adjacent room.

Beer, R., Sachser, N. 1992. Sozialstruktur und Wohlergehen in M?nnchengruppen des Hausmeerschweinchens. Kuratorium f?r Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft [KTBL] Schrift 351, 158-167.

Glucocorticoid levels were significantly lower in pairs than in groups.

Bauer, E. 1992. A group of lemurs (Lemur catta, Eulemur fulvus myottensis): Activities during the day, usage of structures. Congress of the International Primatological Society , 333 (Abstract).

Both species prefer horizontal structures and forked branches, but vertical structures are also important. All different kinds of structures should be offered at different heights.

Anonymous. 1992. Annual Reports: Howletts and Port Lympne Zoo Parks, UK. International Zoo News 39(1), 30-41.

Several structural enrichment enhancers are described. When a barrel with an opening in the front was hung from the roof of the siamang enclosure, our then solitary male, Mitch, spent much of his time looking...

Anderson, J. R., Peignot, P., Adelbrecht, C. 1992. Task-directed and recreational underwater swimming in captive rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Laboratory Primate Newsletter 31(4), 1-4.

Facilitating thermoregulation and increasing [solitary and social] play are two reasons to consider a swimming facility to be a cheap and clean environmental enrichment.

Anderson, W. P., Reid, C. M., Jennings, G. L. 1992. Pet ownership and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Medical Journal of Australia 157(5), 298-301.

OBJECTIVE: To compare risk factors for cardiovascular disease in pet owners and non-owners. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Accepted risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured in 5741 participants attending a free, screening clinic at the Baker...

Adams, B. W., Adair, E. R., Olsen, M. C. et al. 1992. Two squirrel monkey toys. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 31(4), 11-12.

We describe two enrichment devices [suspended chain and rings placed on cage floor] successfully introduced to singly-caged male squirrel monkeys to increase cage complexity and foster manipulative activities.

Barnard, C. J., Hurst, J. L., Aldhous, P. 1991. Of mice and kin: The functional significance of kin bias in social behaviour. Biological Reviews 66, 379-430.

Mice tend to be intolerant of same sex partners at the time of puberty. It is, therefore good advice to establish same sex groups well before the onset of puberty.

Arey, D. S., Petchey, A. M., Fowler, V. R. 1991. The preparturient behaviour of sows in enriched pens and the effect of pre-formed nests. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 31, 61-68.

Nest building is highly motivated behaviour in sows. Nesting material appears to be a key factor both in the regulation and performance of the behaviour. The study demonstrated that domestic sows housed in enriched pens...

Appleby, M. C., Hughes, B. O. 1991. Welfare of laying hens in cages and alternative systems: Environmental, physical and behavioural aspects. World's Poultry Science Journal 47, 109-128.

There are many different characteristics of housing systems which affect the welfare of laying hens, particularly because welfare itself has many diverse aspects. When cause and effect relationships between systems and welfare are assessed, it...

Algers, B., Jensen, P. 1991. Teat stimulation and milk production in early lactation of sows. Effect of continuous noise. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 71, 51-60.

Suckling piglets subjected to continuous loud noise performed less teat stimulation and the milk production of the sow was less.

Ader, D. N., Johnson, S. B., Huang, S. W. et al. 1991. Group-size, cage shelf level, and emotionality in nonobese diabetic mice?Impact on onset and incidence of IDDM. Psychosomatic Medicine 53(3), 313-321.

Emotionality' or 'fearfulness' is higher in mice housed in steel cages at the top of the rack than at the middle of bottom of the rack.Incident and reflected light decreased from the top to the...

Woodbeck, T., Reinhardt, V. 1991. Perch use by Macaca mulatta in relation to cage location. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 30(4), 11-12.

Single-housed animals living in lower-row cages spent an average of 31.6% of the time perching on their pipes while animals living in upper-row cages perched only 6.9% of the time. Access to the vertical dimension...

Woods, S. 1991. Gorilla-approved behavioral enrichment ideas. Gorilla Gazette 5(1), 8-9.

Various enrichment items which have been popular with the gorillas are listed.

Wolfle, T. L. 1991. Psychological well-being: The billion-dollar situation. In: Through the Looking Glass. Issues of Psychological Well-Being in Captive Nonhuman Primates . Novak, M. A. , Petto, A. J. (eds), 119-128. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Wolff, A., Ruppert, G. 1991. A practical assessment of a non-human primate exercise program. Lab Animal 20(2), 36-39.

In two different heterosexual groups of eight adult capuchins aggressive interactions were absent when the familiarized, carefully preselected single-caged subjects were introduced in a large exercise cage.Rhesus macaques engaged in a serious aggressive interactions in...

Wilson, C. C. 1991. The pet as an anxiolytic intervention. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 179, 482-489.
Weick, B. G., Perkins, S. E., Burnett, D. E. et al. 1991. Environmental enrichment objects and singly housed rhesus monkeys: Individual preferences and the restoration of novelty. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 30(5), 18 (Abstract).

We found that the extent of physical contact with the [Kong toy, Nylabone ring and Nylabone ball] toys habituated during a short time. ... The introduction of a different toy every Monday was accompanied by...

Weld, K. P., Metz, B., Erwin, J. 1991. Environmental enrichment for Macaca fascicularis: Effects of shape and substance of manipulable objects. American Journal of Primatology 24, 139 (Abstract).

The ring was the most effective shape and the translucent flexible plastic was the most effective substance. Some abnormal self-directed behavioral patterns decreased significantly in the presence of manipulable objects. [Age of animals is not...

Watson, D. S. B. 1991. A built-in perch for primate squeeze cages. Laboratory Animal Science 41, 378-379.

Perch installation design for single squeeze-back cages is described. Independent of gender the monkeys were seen using their perches more than 84% of the time.

Washburn, D. A., Rumbaugh, D. M. 1991. Impaired performance from brief social isolation of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta): A multiple video-task assessment. Journal of Comparative Psychology 105, 145-151.

Both the number and the quality (i.e., speed and accuracy) of responses were significantly compromised in the social isolation condition relative to levels in which the animals were tested together.