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. 
Hamilton, P. 1991. Enrichment toys and tools in recent trials. Humane Innovations and Alternatives in Animal Experimentation 5, 272-277 .

When toys were left with an animal for several days, the individual became accustomed to and desinterested in the toy.

Gust, D. A., Gordon, T. P., Wilson, M. E. et al. 1991. Formation of a new social group of unfamiliar female rhesus monkeys affects the immune and pituitary adrenocortical systems. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 5, 296-307.

Eight adult females were introduced into an enclosure. Initial dominance rank was established within 48 h by noncontact threats and chases and was unchanged throughout the [9-week] study. Only two minor wounds were recorded. The...

Gullekson, R., Bench, L., Harrigan, K. et al. 1991. Seed-feeder as a foraging device for singly housed cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Lab Animal 20(6), 44-46.

Our study took the first step in testing the usefulness of a seed-feeder in single-housed subjects.

Grindlinger, H. M., Ramsay, E. C. 1991. Compulsive feather picking in birds. Archives of General Psychiatry 48, 857.
Fragaszy, D. M. , Adams-Curtis, L. E. 1991. Environmental challenges in groups of capuchins. In: Primate Responses to Environmental Change . Box, H. O. (ed), 247-264. Chapman and Hall, New York, NY.

Small food items, such as seeds and diced vegetables, are regularly strewn in the straw bedding, which provides the monkeys with infinite opportunities to produce change. Each time the bedding is sifted, the configuration of...

Fila, D. 1991. The significance of companion animals to a geriatric vascular patient: a case study. Holistic Nursing Practice 5(2), 11-15.

Describes a case study of an elderly man who was admitted to hospital for disfiguring surgery and became withdrawn and angry. Regular interactions with a visiting dog and guinea pig allowed him to "reconnect" with...

Erwin, J. 1991. Applied primate ecology: Evaluation of environmental changes to promote psychological well-being. In: Through the Looking Glass. Issues of Psychological Well-Being in Captive Nonhuman Primates. Novak, M. A. , Petto, A. J. (eds), 180-188. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

In one [non-referenced] study of longtailed macaques, self-directed aggressive behavior was suppressed (relative to baseline) in the presence of a manipulable object for more than five months, for four out of five animals.

Estep, D. Q., Baker, S. C. 1991. The effects of temporary cover on the behavior of socially housed Stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides). Zoo Biology 10, 465-472.

To examine the effects of the provision of temporary cover on the behavior of stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides), a single group of 26 animals was observed during 25 testing periods over 7.5 months. During each...

Eichberg, J. W., Lee, D. R., Butler, T. M. et al. 1991. Construction of playground for chimpanzees in biomedical research. Journal of Medical Primatology 20, 12-16.

Playground construction for chimpanzees is described.

Eaton, G. G., Kelley, S. T., Axthelm, M. et al. 1991. Assessment of psychological well-being in paired rhesus females. American Journal of Primatology 24, 97-98 (Abstract).
de Waal, F. B. M. 1991. The social nature of primates. In: Through the Looking Glass. Issues of Psychological Well-Being in Captive Nonhuman Primates. Novak, M. A. , Petto, A. J. (eds), 67-77. American Psychological Association, Washington DC.

A discussion of the social nature of primates in relationship to psychological well-being. Physiological, immunological, and neurological measures collected on isolation-reared (and hence psychologically deviant) nonhuman primates might not be representative, and therefore might be...

Crockett, C. M., Bowden, D. M., Bowers, C. L. et al. 1991. Social pairing of longtailed macaques with preferred, nonpreferred, and randomly assigned cagemates. American Journal of Primatology 24, 94-95 (Abstract).

Pair formation technique is described. All 15 [female-female] pairs were sufficiently compatible that none had to be separated.

Cordischi, C., Cozzolino, R., Aureli, F. et al. 1991. Influence of context on mounting and presenting among mature male Japanese macaques. Folia Primatologica 56(4), 211-213.
Combette, C., Anderson, J. R. 1991. R?ponses ? deux techniques d'enrichissement environnemental chez deux esp?ces de primates en laboratoire (Cebus apella, Lemur macaco). [Response to two environmental enrichment techniques in two primate species (Cebus apella, Lemur macaco) in the laboratory setting. (French text with English summary)] . Cahiers d'Ethologie 11, 1-16.

Locomotion almost doubled in the lemurs when small food items were added to the litter, but only the [group-housed] capuchins engaged in foraging activities to any extent.

Ward, G. E., DeMille, D. 1991. Environmental enrichment for laboratory mice (Mus musculus) . Animal Technology 42 , 149-156.

It must be considered as doubtful whether the current bland and unenriched laboratory animal cage environment is either sufficient or able to fulfill the legitimate requirements of this species. Water bottles containing sawdust provide effective...

Terrill, C. E. , Slee, J. 1991. Breed differences in adaptation of sheep. in: Genetic Resource of Pig, Sheep and Goat. Majala, K. (ed), 195-233. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Stauffacher, M. 1991. Rearing domestic rabbits in breeding groups: a contribution to animal welfare in rabbit farming. In: Applied Animal Behaviour: Past, Present and Future. Appleby, M. C., Horrell, R. I., Petherick, J. C., Rutter, S. M. (eds), 80-81. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Potters Bar, UK.

In traditional and commercial rabbit breeding does and bucks are kept isolated in cages and mating and weaning of their offspring follow various breeding schedules. ... Behavioural disorders of bucks, mothers and young, cannibalism and...

Sherwin, C. M. 1991. The preference of hens for pecking simple objects of different colours. Proceedings of the Congress of the Society of Veterinary Ethology, 166-156 (Abstract).

Hens rapidly habituate to simple pecking objects [coloured, wooden cylinders (30 x 10 mm)] hung in their cage.

Schwindaman, D. 1991. The 1985 animal welfare act amendments. In: Through the Looking Glass. Issues of Psychological Well-Being in Captive Nonhuman Primates. Novak, M. A. , Petto, A. J. (eds), 26-32. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

It is only common sense, for instance, that an animal will not respond normally if it is stressed or undernourished. ... Because the validity of research results is so dependent on the health of research...

Schouten, W. G. P., Rushen, J., de Passill?, A. M. 1991. Heart rate changes in loose and tethered sows around feeding. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30, 173-196.

Tethered sows show a higher sympathetic reactivity, increasing with duration of tethering, than free-housed sows.

Schmid, H. 1991. A practicable, behaviour specific housing system for farrowing and lactating sows. In: Alternatives in Animal Husbandry [Proceedings on the International Conference on Alternatives in Animal Husbandry]. Boehnke, E. , Mokenthin, V. (eds), 33-39. University of Kassel, Witzenhausen, Germany.

The design of the pen is adjusted to the behavioural organisation of the sow and the piglets under minimal space requirement. The pen (2.5 m x 3.0 m) is divided into nest- and an activity-area...

Scharmann, W. 1991. Improved housing of mice, rats and guineapigs: a contribution to the refinement of animal experimentation. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals [ATLA] 19, 108-114.

It is suggested that the housing of laboratoryrodents should be improved by the use of larger and moreappropriate cage types, as well as by reducing the monotonyof conventional housing systems... Guinea pigs readily chew softwood...

Sachser, N., Lick, C. 1991. Social experience, behavior and stress in guinea pigs. Physiology and Behavior 50, 83-90.

Guinea pigs require considerable socialisation to acquire the skills necessary to build up stable social structures. If rearing conditions are inadequate this creates conditions of social instability and extreme endocrine changes occur.

Salatin, J. 1991. Profit by appointment only: This farm family puts quality first, and their customers love it. The New Farm 13(6), 8-12.

If the pasture does not include trees or other shade casting structures, a shademobile should be provided to ensure that the animals can avoid head stress during hot weather conditions.

Sachser, N. 1991. Social experience, behaviour, stress and health in guinea pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 31, 289 (Abstract).

These data suggest that guinea pigs require considerable socialisation to acquire the skills necessary to build up stable social structures. If rearing conditions are inadequate this creates conditions of social instability and extreme endocrine changes...