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. 
Van de Kar, L. D., Richardson-Morton, K. D., Rittenhouse, P. A. 1991. Stress: neuroendocrine and pharmacological mechanism. In: Stress Revisited: Neuroendocrinology of Stress, Vol. 14. Jasmin, G. , Cantin, M. (eds), 133-173. Karger, Basel, Switzerland.

There is little doubt that measuring plasma prolactin concentrations is a good indicator of the 'anxiety' level of experimental animals and humans.

Unden, A. L., Orth-Gomer, K., Elofsson, S. 1991. Cardiovascular effects of social support in the work place: Twenty-four-hour ECG monitoring of men and women. Psychosomatic Medicine 53, 50-60.

Social support promotes health.

Thompson, M. A., Bloomsmith, M. A. 1991. The effect of various types of produce on behavior in a uni-male and a multi-male group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology 24, 137-138 (Abstract).

Produce provides effecitve feeding enrichment for group-housed chimpanzees.

Thompson, M. A., Bloomsmith, M. A., Taylor, L. L. 1991. A canine companion for a nursery-reared infant chimpanzee. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 30(2), 1-4.

Reduction in rocking and other stress-related behaviors in the dog's presence is a strong argument for providing nursery-reared chimpanzees with dog companions. ... We have safely housed dogs with single infants as well as with...

Thornhill, A. 1991. Observations on the benefit of environmental enrichment when group housing male squirrel monkeys. Institute of Animal Technology Congress Proceedings, 28 (Abstract).
Seymour, S., Shepherdson, D. 1991. Puzzle feeder for orangutans. Animal Keepers' Forum 18(7), 230-232.

The puzzle feeder was used constantly until all the food had been consumed (up to one hour). Dominance within the group affected individual access to the puzzle.

Shepherdson, D., Gilloux, I., Gurnell, J. 1991. Puzzle feeder for great apes. In: Environmental Enrichment Report No. 4. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Potters Bar, UK.

The apes could manipulate food items to the end of the pipe by poking sticks through the 2 cm diameter holes drilled along the side of the pipe facing them. When the food items reached...

Serpell, J. 1991. Beneficial effects of pet ownership on some aspects of human health and behavior. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 84, 717-720.

A 10-month prospective study was carried out which examined changes in behaviour and health status in 71 adult subjects following the acquisition of a new pet (either dogs or cats). A group of 26 subjects...

Seymour, S. , Shepherdson, D. 1991. Puzzle Feeder for Orangutangs - Environmental Enrichment Report No. 3. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare , Potters Bar, UK.

The orangutans were supplied with lengths of bamboo with which they could move the food along the shelves, through the holes, to the bottom of the puzzle. The puzzle feeder was used constantly until all...

Scott, L. 1991. Environmental enrichment for single housed common marmosets. In: Primate Responses to Environmental Change . Box, H. O. (ed), 266-274. Chapman and Hall, London, UK.

A marmoset-appropriate enrichment program is described.

Schneider, M. L., Moore, C. F., Suomi, S. J. et al. 1991. Laboratory assessment of temperament and environmental enrichment for rhesus monkey infants (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 25, 137-155.

Results indicated that enrichment [for infants who were separated from their mothers] was associated with higher scores on subsequent problem-solving and motor tests.

Schapiro, S. J., Brent, L., Bloomsmith, M. A. et al. 1991. Enrichment devices for nonhuman primates. Lab Animal 20(6), 22-28.

We will describe [and discuss] a number of different classes of enrichment devices that have been used at our institution or at other primate facilities. ... Sanitation is probably the most time-consuming aspect of enrichment.

Schapiro, S. J., Bloomsmith, M. A., Kessel, A. L. et al. 1991. Effects of environmental enrichment on the social behavior of pair-housed juvenile specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus monkeys. American Journal of Primatology 24, 133-134 (Abstract).

These results emphasize the necessity of matching the enrichment technique with the desired behavioral outcome.

Salzen, E. A., Marriott, B. M. 1991. Technical note: A primatrail or an inexpensive cage expansion for group housing small primates. Journal of Medical Primatology 20(2), 94-96.

An inexpensive method for converting standard laboratory cages into colony units for housing small primate species is described. In addition to increasing the volume of space available to the animals, this system also provides a...

Rowan, A. N. 1991. Do companion animals provide a health benefit? Anthrozoos 4, 212.
Ruempler, U. 1991. Behavior modification of lowland gorillas at he Cologne Zoo. Gorilla Gazette 5(2), 2-6.

Fruit, milk, eggs, bread etc. was eliminated from the diet. Food with a great deal of roughage was added in unlimited quantities like foliage, lucerne, alfalfa hay and vegetables. ... Eating of feces was eliminated...

Ruppenthal, G. C., Walker, C. G., Sackett, G. P. 1991. Rearing infant monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) in pairs produces deficient social development compared with rearing in single cages. American Journal of Primatology 25, 103-113.

Many scientists and colony managers assume that social housing is a beneficial living condition for all captive primates. Several older studies of primate development question the generality of this assumption. We recently tested this assumption...

Rolland, R. M. 1991. A prescription for psychological well-being. In: Through the Looking Glass. Issues of Psychological Well-Being in Captive Nonhuman Primates. Novak, M. A. , Petto, A. J. (eds), 129-134. American Psychological Association, Washington DC.

By far the most common physical problem that I treat as clinical veterinarian is trauma sustained by macaques in group-housing situations.

Rogers, K. 1991. Enclosure design: Effects of increasing environmental complexity on captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). American Journal of Primatology 24, 132 (Abstract).

It is shown how increased complexity of enclosure space affects behavior in positive ways.

Riviello, M. C., Misiti, A. 1991. Environmental enrichment for primates in captivity: A review. International Journal of Anthropology 6, 251 (Abstract).

Review of early enrichment studies.

Reinhardt, V., Reinhardt, A. 1991. Impact of a privacy panel on the behavior of caged female rhesus monkeys living in pairs. Journal of Experimental Animal Science 34(2), 55-58.

Thirty paired female rhesus monkeys were tested in a control situation when companions had no privacy, and in an experimental situation when they were offered the option to move behind a panel and be alone...

Reinhardt, V., Pape, R. 1991. An alternative method for primate perch installation. Lab Animal 20(8), 47-48.

Modification of squeeze cages is described allowing the installation of a perch that does not interfere with the normal operation of the cage.

Reinhardt, V., Pape, R., Zweifel, D. 1991. Multifunctional cage for macaques housed in pairs or in small groups. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Bulletin [Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science] 30(5), 14-15.

Existing double-cage units were modified to provide optimal housing and handling conditions for pair-housed macaques. Perch installation allows normal operation of the squeeze-back; a privacy panel offers optional visual seclusion.

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D., Eisele, S. 1991. Serum cortisol concentrations of single-housed and isosexually pair-housed adult rhesus macaques. Journal of Experimental Animal Science 34(2), 73-76.

Possible social distress was evaluated in 20 adult rhesus macaques housed in compatible isosexual pairs (5 female pairs, 5 male pairs) for the purpose of social environmental enrichment. Serum cortisol concentrations of paired animals were...

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D., Eisele, S. et al. 1991. Avoiding undue cortisol responses to venipuncture in adult male rhesus macaques. Animal Technology 42, 83-86.

Six adult rhesus males were: a) habituated to actively cooperate during venipuncture away from the homecage in a treatment squeeze cage, and b) trained to actively cooperate during venipuncture in the homecage.The magnitude of cortisol...