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. 

Social housing is recommended for laboratory rats because they are highly social mammals but research constraints or medical issues often demand individual housing and, when social housing is practiced, it typically involves housing with only...

While clinical reptile medicine as a science is in its ascendancy among veterinary surgeons and other interested groups, familiarity with the often related issue of reptilian behavioural and psychological health appears less common. Behavioural change...

Some environmental interventions can result in physiologic and behavioral changes in laboratory animals. In this context, the handling of adolescent or adult rodents has been reported to influence exploratory behavior and emotionality. Here we examined...

Handling of laboratory rats can increase physiological and emotional stress, leading to a fearful relationship with humans. We hypothesized that the affective quality of handling techniques used during routine care influences the animals' fear of...

Caring for laboratory animals is a primary function for animal technicians and demands total commitment to ensuring all species receive the highest level of care and welfare during their time within a research facility. On...

This report is a summary of the Workshop which took place at Congress 2009 and the questionnaire submitted in preparation. The report covers the emotions raised by people working in the biomedical industry. At Congress...

We conclude that handling experimental animals more often than only at the time their cage is changes is beneficial.

The question was asked: "Does the regular, affectionate interaction with adult animals help the subject overcome the fear of humans, and hence buffer the stress response to being handled during experimental procedures?" I think an...

Stress associated with transportation has widespread effects on physiological systems in laboratory animals, including changes in the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, central nervous, and reproductive systems. Although short-lived, these changes can confound research if animals are...

This article provides details to consider when preparing to use animals in biomedical research. The stress of transport and receipt of animals into a new environment mandate the need for a period of stabilization and...

There is every reason to believe that individuals who care about their wards on a personal level actually treat the animals better (Herzog, 2002, p. 30). Compassion for animals used in research, testing and teaching...

Introduction to ILAR's issue Implications of Human-Research Interactions and Bond in the Laboratory. I was encouraged not to assign names to the many rhesus monkeys in my charge. I was admonished that the animals are...

The need to recognize the existence of bonds between caregivers and their animals is discussed. Involvement in a venue to acknowledge the contributions animals make to teaching, testing, and research can be a satisfying and...

The presence of humans as possible confounding variables is discussed. Human subjects are rarely if ever passive sources of data in studies involving animals.

Researchers must continue to question the barriers that have traditionally been erected against forming HABs [human-animal bonds] in the name of objectivity and to investigate seriously the ways in which fostering the formation of HABs...

More often than not, moral dilemmas are the result of good people trying to do the right thing when the right thing is unclear [p. 29]. I have spoken with some animal care staff who...

People are attracted by the animals to become caregivers in laboratories, which points to the importance of providing caregivers opportunities for rewarding interactions with the animals. Opportunities that enhance the comfort of the animals and...

The various roots of human-animal bonding in the research laboratory setting are reviewed. The development of these relationships is enriching to both personnel and animals inasmuch as people who care about their animals are committed...

Open-field behaviour of individually gentled and nonhandled adult male Wistar rats was studied in a mildly novel test situation. The gentled rats were more active and showed fewer signs of fear on the first trial...