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. 
Rosenberg, D. P., Berke, L. A., Williams, M. P. et al. 1990. Using computer games for environmental enrichment for rhesus monkeys in space flight and in the vivarium. Laboratory Animal Science 40, 548 (Abstract).

It is proposed that a computer based food reward system resembling a computer game mimicas foraging that occurs in the wild, thus presumably relieving boredom.

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D., Scheffler, J. et al. 1990. Living continuously with a compatible companion is not a distressing experience for rhesus monkeys. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(2), 16-17.

Paired females had serum cortisol concentrations that did not differ from single-housed females. Dominant animals had cortisol concentrations that did not differ from those of their subordinate companions, indicating that neither dominant nor subordinate partners...

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D., Scheffler, J. et al. 1990. Cortisol response of female rhesus monkeys to venipuncture in homecage versus venipuncture in restraint apparatus. Journal of Medical Primatology 19, 601-606.

All subjects were well habituated to blood collection, and it was not necessary to immobilize them; they readily presented a leg for venipuncture. In single monkeys venipunctured in the restraint apparatus, cortisol concentrations were on...

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D. 1990. Training stumptailed monkeys to cooperate during in-homecage treatment. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(4), 9-10.

One to 14 training sessions, each lasting for 1-5 minutes, were required to train adult, pair-housed and single-housed stump-tailed macaques of both sexes to cooperate during topical treatment in the homecage.

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Time budget of caged rhesus monkeys exposed to a companion, a PVC perch and a piece of wood for an extended time*. American Journal of Primatology 20, 51-56.

Sixty animals were continuously exposed for at least 1.5 years to a compatible companion for social interaction, a suspended plastic pipe for perching, and a branch segment for gnawing. ... Individuals spent an average of...

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Social enrichment for laboratory primates: A critical review. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(3), 7-11.

23% (54/237) of individually caged, but only 10% (38/382) of pair-housed rhesus monkeys required medical treatment. A photograph shows a compatible pair of adult males who have been reared as social isolates.

Reinhardt, V. 1990. A perch for caged macaques. Humane Innovations and Alternatives in Animal Experimentation 4, 134-135.

Wooden and plastic perches have been tested successfully by several hundred rhesus monkeys and 40 stump-tailed monkeys of both sexes and various ages over the last 3 years. Perches have proven an inexpensive, simple, yet...

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Environmental enrichment program for caged stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides). Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(2), 10-11.

An effective social and inanimate enrichment program for caged stump-tailed macaques is described. Paired companions interacted with each other 22% of the time, they used the PVC perch 4.2% of the time, and the gnawing...

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental enrichment. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(1), 15.

Taking the absence of behavioral disorders as a criterion for the effectiveness of an environmental enrichment strategy .. is therefore unrealistic. ... An environmental enrichment strategy is ineffective if it does not promote the expression...

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Comparing the effectiveness of PVC perches versus wooden perches as environmental enrichment objects for singly caged rhesus monkeys. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 29(1), 13-14.

One half of each cage was provided with a PVC pipe, the other with an oak branch. Both perches had the same diameter and were installed in the same manner. During one-hour observation sessions, single-caged...

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Catching Individual Rhesus Monkeys Living in Captive Groups (Videotape With Commentary). Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center.Available on loan from Animal Care Audio-Visual Materials, WRPRC, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53715, USA, Madison, WI.

A simple capture-chute design is demonstrated. Using vocal commands, a single person swiftly catches all members of a trained rhesus breeding group one-by-one in a transport cage without causing any disturbance or stress.

Reinhardt, V. 1990. Avoiding undue stress: Catching individual animals in groups of rhesus monkeys. Lab Animal 19(6), 52-53.

Training technique is described. We have successfully trained two heterogeneous rhesus troops of 28 and 33 members. The catching procedure has become a routine that is no longer associated with excitation and distress. It is...

Prince, A. M., Brotman, B., Garnham, B. et al. 1990. Enrichment, rehabilitation and release of chimpanzees used in biomedical research. Lab Animal 19(5), 28,29 & 32-37.

The main factors that we believe account for the relative psychological health of Vilab II chimpanzees [New York Blood Center's Laboratory in Liberia] ... are: avoidance of solitary housing and rapid re-socialization and rehabilitation, a...

Porton, I. 1990. Hand-rearing and reintroducing gorillas at the St. Louis Zoo: Philosophy, practice and problems. Proceedings: Columbus Zoo Gorilla Workshop, 133 (Abstract).

This paper details our hand-rearing/reintroduction procedures including our successes and failures.

Porton, I. 1990. Preliminary results of the formation of an all male gorilla group at the St. Louis Zoo. Proceedings: Columbus Zoo Gorilla Workshop, 134 (Abstract).

The affiliative, agonistic and sexual behaviors exhibited by the males, lack of or development of social bonds and changes in behavior over time are discussed. [Group formation protocol is not outlined.]

Priest, G. M. 1990. The use of operant conditioning in training husbandry behavior with captive exotic animals. Proceedings of the National American Association of Zoo Keepers Conference 16, 94-108.

Training technique is described to obtain a mandrill's cooperation during in-homecage blood collection and injection.

Poole, T. B. 1990. Environmental enrichment for marmosets. Animal Technology 41(2), 81-86.

Marmosets are among the easiest of primates to provide with environmental enrichment. Like other higher primates, they need companionship, adequate space with incorporated complexity, some unpredictability in the environment, ways in which they can manipulate...

Petiniot, C. M. 1990. A successful introduction: Behavioral enrichment and training at the Toledo Zoo. Proceedings: Columbus Zoo Gorilla Workshop, 129-132.

Benefits to be gained from the training were felt to include: better keeper/gorilla cooperation and trust, resulting in increased flexibility in moving the gorillas; encouragement of greater socialization in groups; better management for health and...

Peretti, P. O. 1990. Elderly-animal friendship bonds. Social Behavior and Personality 18, 151-156.
Paciulli, L. 1990. Training for enrichment purposes. American Society of Primatologists (APS) Bulletin September, 3-4.

King also allows us to take nasal swabs with a Q-tip [and] listen to this heart beat with a stethoscope. [Training technique is not described.]

O'Neill, P. L., Novicky, P., George, E. 1990. Preliminary evaluation of Prima-Hedron play structures for non-human primates. Lab Animal 19(5), 40-41.

Description of commercial roto-molded polyethylene structures serving as swing toys. The Prima-Hedrons' greatest virtues are that they can be assembled in so many ways that novelty is not restricted, and they can therefore maintain the...

O'Neill, P. L., Price, C., Suomi, S. J. 1990. Designing captive primate environments sensitive to age and gender related activity profiles for rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Regional Conference Proceedings, 346-354.

An analysis of the time budget (agonistic behavior is excluded) of rhesus macaque groups kept in free-ranging and confined [corncrib] condition. Adult animals spent about the same amount of time engaged in social grooming in...

Newman, L., Peterson, G., Davis, D. et al. 1990. Use of an artificial gum-tree feeder for marmosets. Simulating gumnivory in captivity - Environmental enrichment for marmosets and other captive animals . American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Regional Conference Proceedings , 569-575.

Having the opportunity to demonstrate their natural gum-foraging behavior stimulated some of the animal's other natural behaviors, i.e., compatible sharing of feeders and feeding sites, methods of food acquisition, and territoriality and dominance. .... The...

Morton, D. B. 1990. Adverse effects in animals and their relevance to refining scientific procedures. ATLA (Alternatives to Laboratory Animals) 18, 29-39.

The author highlights areas in which suffering can be prevented, alleviated and avoided. The terms pain, stress, eustress, distress and fear are clearly defined to help in determining animal suffering. One has to recognize suffering...

Moodie, E. M., Chamove, A. S. 1990. Are brief threating events beneficial for captive tamarins? Zoo Biology 9, 275-286.

Cotton-top tamarins living in four families were observed following stimulating husbandry procedures [capture, birds passing overhead]. Arousal led to an improvement in behaviour (i.e., decrease in activity and an increase in affiliation) during the remainder...