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. 
Williams, L. E., Abee, C. R., Barnes, S. R. et al. 1988. Cage design and configuration for an arboreal species of primate. Laboratory Animal Science 38, 289-291.

Squirrel monkeys preferred a poly-vinyl-chloride pipe perch (rigid) over rope perches (non-rigid). For an arboreal animal, a higher perch may be perceived as safer. Additional perches decreased the propensity for development of tail ulcers associated...

Wallace, G. 1988. Improving life for primates. Caring for Animals 5(1), 3.

To deal with the problem of habituation, variation of objects on a rotating basis is recommended.

Vormbrock, J. K., Grossberg, J. M. 1988. Cardiovascular effects of human-pet dog interactions. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 11, 509-517.

Recent research on human-dog interactions showed that talking to and petting a dog are accompanied by lower blood pressure (BP) in the person than human conversation. To clarify whether cognition, conditioning, or tactual contact exerted...

Tamminen, J., Rosenfeld, D. 1988. CT diagnosis of a gastric trichobezoar . Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics 12, 339-341.

Upon closer questioning of the patient, she admitted to a 10 year history of trichotillomania and trichophagia. Gastrotomy successfully delivered a J shaped trichobezoar (Fig. 3). The post-operative course was uneventful.

Suleman, M. A., Njugana, J., Anderson, J. 1988. Training of vervet monkeys, sykes monkeys and baboons for collection of biological samples. Proceedings of the Congress of the International Primatological Society, 12 (Abstract).
Spector, M. R., Bennett, B. T. 1988. The use of naturally occurring manipulanda can reduce the frequency of cage stereotypy in solitary-housed primates. The Psychological Well-Being of Captive Primates Conference, 44-45 (Abstract).

The single-housed animals demonstrated a marked reduction of cage stereotypy during the time they had the corn to manipulate.

Silberman, M. S. 1988. Editorial - Animal welfare, animal right: The past, the present, and the 21st century. Journal of Zoo Animal Medicine 19, 161-167.

Humane interest groups concern themselves with quality of life . ... They favor excellent treatment of animals, the cessation of what they deem needless animal use, and they want the research community to strive for...

Shepherdson, D. 1988. The application and evaluation of behavioural enrichment in zoos. Primate Report 22, 35-42.

General considerations for the application and assessment of environmental enrichment for primates kept in zoos. There is a need to devise cheap, simple and efficient ways to enriching the captive [zoo] environment.

Shepherdson, D. 1988. Environmental enrichment in the zoo. UFAW Courier No. 24, 45-53.

General considerations regarding inanimate and feeding enrichment.

Shepherdson, D., Carman, M., Bemment, N. 1988. Lar Gibbon Duets. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Potters Bar, UK.

Playing duets to captive gibbons resulted in increased species-typical activity and vocalisation without evidence of habituation.

Sharp R. 1988. The Cruel Deception. Thorsons Publishing Group, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, UK.

A critical, comprehensive discussion of the perceived benefits resulting from invasive animal experimentation.

Schino, G., Scucchi, S., Maestripieri, D. et al. 1988. Allogrooming as a tension-reduction mechanism: A behavioral approach. American Journal of Primatology 16, 43-50.

Receiving grooming, unlike performing grooming, reduced tension both during the interaction and at other times, as documented by decreased displacement activity rates. ... Although social and hygienic functions of allogrooming are compatible, the role of...

Rupniak, N. M. J. , Iversen, S. D. 1988. Psychological welfare behaviour and housing conditions for laboratory primates: A discussion. In: Laboratory Animal Welfare Research: Primates. Poole, T. B. (ed), 31-38. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Potters Bar, UK.

Review and discussion of selected studies on environmental enrichment.

Ross, P. W., Everitt, J. I. 1988. A nylon ball device for primate environmental enrichment. Laboratory Animal Science 38(4), 481-483.

We have devised a simple device consisting of a hard nylon ball on a chain which appears to provide an activity stimulus for some individually housed, colony reared, young male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). In...

Reinhardt, V., Smith, M. D. 1988. PVC pipes effectively enrich the environment of caged rhesus monkeys. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 27(3), 4-5.

PVC pipes were successfully used to make the vertical cage space accessible for single-housed macaques.

Reinhardt, V., Houser, W. D., Eisele, S. et al. 1988. Behavior responses of unrelated rhesus monkey females paired for the purpose of environmental enrichment. American Journal of Primatology 14, 135-140.

Pair formation technique is described. Eighty-three percent (15/18) of pairs were compatible, with none of the partners showing signs of depression and none inflicting serious injury on the other. Six of seven animals abandoned behavioral...

Reinhardt, V., Eisele, S., Houser, W. D. 1988. Environmental enrichment program for caged macaques at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center: A review. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 27(2), 5-6.

Investigations aimed at enriching the barren environment of singly caged, sexually mature macaques were initiated in May 1986.

Reinhardt, V., Cowley, D., Eisele, S. et al. 1988. Pairing compatible female rhesus monkeys for the purpose of cage enrichment has no negative impact on body weight. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 27(1), 13-15.

Our finding supports the conclusion that keeping singly housed adult female rhesus monkeys in compatible pairs for the purpose of cage enrichment does not affect the animals' general health status as reflected in body weight.

Reinhardt, V. 1988. Preliminary comments on pairing unfamiliar adult male rhesus monkeys for the purpose of environmental enrichment. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 27(4), 1-3.

A total of 7 different male-male combinations had to be tested during the period of non-contact familiarization in order to obtain 5 dyads (10 males) in which the partners exhibited clear dominance-subordination relationships (Table I)...

Preilowski, B., Reger, M., Engele, H. 1988. Combining scientific experimentation with conventional housing: A pilot study with rhesus monkeys. American Journal of Primatology 14, 223-234.

The testing apparatus ... was connected to a computer that controlled the test and the distribution of regular monkey chow as reward. Manipulatory activity required by the apparatus reduced motor stereotypies but not self-biting in...

Poole, T. B. 1988. Normal and abnormal behaviour in captive primates. Primate Report 22, 3-12.

Comprehensive review of behavioral disorders in nonhuman primates.

Peterson, G., Kelly, K., Miller, L. 1988. Use of an artificial gum-tree feeder for marmosets. Animal Keepers Forum 15, 396-401.

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...

Paquette, D., Prescott, J. 1988. Use of novel objects to enhance environments of captive chimpanzees. Zoo Biology 7, 15-23.

Following their familiarization with the novel objects [rubber or plastic toys for small children], the [group-housed] chimpanzees' manipulation frequency decreased whereas self-grooming and abnormal behaviors were increased. The importance of a periodical substitution of the...

Novak, M. A., Meyer, J. S. 1988. What we don't know about lab animals. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 27(2), 16-17.

General discussion of ways to evaluate enrichment strategies.

O'Neill, P. L. 1988. Developing effective social and environmental enrichment strategies for macaques in captive groups. Lab Animal 17(4), 23-36.

Perhaps this data will be useful in supporting the notion that primate cage size should not be strictly a function of the animal's size, but rather of the age and expected activity level of the...