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. 
Lett, G. S. 2010. Measuring the impact of animal enrichment on research results. Enrichment Record 2, 6-7.

My take on this message is that the research community is gathering enough data from laboratory animals under a variety of environmental conditions, but we are not recording and/or sharing enough information about the animal...

Lett, G. S., Patterson-Kane, E. G. 2010. Environmental enrichment fights cancer and improves research results - What now for the biomedical researcher? Enrichment Record 5, 4-6.

The article, “Environmental and Genetic Activation of a Brain-Adipocyte BDNF/Leptin Axis Causes Cancer Remission and Inhibition,” was first published in Cell on July 8, and quickly echoed by online editions of major journals including The...

Bennett, A. J., Corcoran, C. A., Hardy, V. A. et al. 2010. Multidimensional cost-benefit analysis to guide evidence-based environmental enrichment: Providing bedding and foraging substrate to pen-housed monkeys. JAALAS 49(5), 571-577.

Refinement of animal care and housing is an important shared goal - and challenge - of the team of research, veterinary, and animal care personnel charged with ensuring the wellbeing of laboratory animals. This study...

Bayne, K. 2010. Enrichment and behavioral management programs around the world. Enrichment Record 4, 4-7.

To do justice to the diverse approaches to enrichment and behavioral management around the world would entail a discussion beyond the limits of this publication. Therefore, guidelines and regulations in a representative sample of countries...

Brown, C. 2009. Novel food items as environmental enrichment for rodents and rabbits. Lab Animal 38(4), 119-120.

This column discusses the use of novel dietary supplements as environmental enrichment for rodents and rabbits. Items are commercially available from lab animal supply companies. The purpose of enrichment is to encourage behaviors that are...

Videan, E. N., Ely, J., Lammey, M. et al. 2008. Successful elimination of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): a case study using a combination of risperidone and environmental enrichment. American Journal of Primatology 70(S1), 50. (31st Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #91)

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) can result in open wounds, tissue damage, and increased risk of infection. In many cases, increased environmental enrichment is not consistently effective in eliminating this behavior. We report here on the successful...

Leland, S. P., West, A. M., Shaver, C. K. et al. 2008. Longitudinal comparison of rates of species-typical behavior of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in an enriched laboratory environment. American Journal of Primatology 70(S1), 51. (31st Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #92)

Behavioral observations were conducted as an ongoing program of monitoring psychological well-being of chimpanzees involved in IACUC-approved preventive medicine studies. The chimpanzees were housed in a facility that provided a variety of enrichment objects, climbing...

Csatádi, K., Leus, K., Pereboom, J. J. M. 2008. A brief note on the effects of novel enrichment on an unwanted behaviour of captive bonobos. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 112(1-2), 201-204.

Animals in captivity may show undesirable behaviour when they are not sufficiently challenged, making it essential for their well-being to provide daily enrichment to zoo animals. Primates need a regular replacement with novel enrichment objects...

Jarvis, K. A., Gould, J. E. 2007. Effects of a complex enrichment device on stereotypic behaviors, tool use, tool manufacturing, and activity budgets in captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). American Journal of Primatology 69(S1), 51. (30th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #44)

As a way to reduce abnormal behaviors, specifically finger-sucking, hair-pulling, and reingestion/regurgitation, observed in two male gorillas at The ZOO Northwest Florida, a complex enrichment device that was contingent on the gorilla's ability to use...

Conour, L. A., Murray, K. A., Brown, M. J. 2006. Preparation of animals for research -- Issues to consider for rodents and rabbits. ILAR Journal 47(4), 283-293.

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...

Weed, J. L., Raber, J. 2005. Balancing animal research with well-being: Establishment of goals and harmonization of approaches. ILAR Journal 46(2), 118-128.

A resource is provided for the creation of an institutional program that balances the scientific mission of an institution with the well-being of the animals used in support of the research. The concept of harmonizing...

Nelson, R. J., Mandrell, T. D. 2005. Enrichment and nonhuman primates: "First, do no harm". ILAR Journal 46(2), 171-177.

Since the 1998 publication of The Psychological Well-Being of Nonhuman Primates by the National Research Council, and the 1991 implementation of the 1985 Animal Welfare Act Amendment, many formal and informal nonhuman primate enrichment programs...

Lutz, C. K., Novak, M. 2005. Environmental enrichment for nonhuman primates: Theory and application. ILAR Journal 46(2), 178-191.

Only social contact satisfies the goal of promoting a wide variety of species-typical activities while at the same time reducing or preventing the development of abnormal behavior... A number of toys should be provided initially...

Kulpa-Eddy, J. A., Taylor, S., Adams, K. M. 2005. USDA perspectives on environmental enrichment for animals. ILAR Journal 46(2), 83-94.

This article provides a brief historical background of the events and circumstances that led to the 1985 Animal Welfare Act (AWA) amendments. It describes the development of the regulations promulgated by the US Department of...

Wolfle, T. L. 2005. Environmental enrichment. ILAR Journal 46(2), 79-82.

Summary of a collection of articles pertaining to the topic of environmental enrichment.

Thorne, J. B., Goodwin, D., Kennedy, M. J. et al. 2005. Foraging enrichment for individually housed horses: Practicality and effects on behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 94, 149-164.

The results indicate that the potentially beneficial behavioural effects of short-term multiple forage provision do persist when horses are managed on a MF [multiple forage] diet [long-chop and short-chop forages] for a 7-day period. They...

Garner, J. P. 2005. Stereotypies and other abnormal repetitive behaviors: Potential impact on validity, reliability, and replicability of scientific outcomes. ILAR Journal 46(2), 106-117.

Normal behavior plays a key role in facilitating homeostasis, especially by allowing the animal to control and modify its environment. Captive environments may interfere with these behavioral responses, and the resulting stress may alter many...

Bloomsmith, M. A., Else, J. G. 2005. Behavioral management of chimpanzees in biomedical research facilities. ILAR Journal 46(2), 192-201.

The current status of the behavioral management of chimpanzees housed in US research facilities is examined, and recent advances are described. Behavioral management includes the application of environmental enrichment, animal training, and environmental design for...

Benefiel, A. C., Dong, W. K., Greenough, W. T. 2005. Mandatory enriched housing of laboratory animals: The need for evidence-based evaluation. ILAR Journal 46(2), 95-105.

Environmental enrichment for laboratory animals has come to be viewed as a potential method for improving animal well-being in addition to its original sense as a paradigm for learning how experience molds the brain. It...

Sherwin, C. M. 2004. E2 = 3R + 2Q: Calculating species-appropriate environmental enrichment. Proceedings of the International Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, 132 (Abstract).

Species appropriate environmental enrichment should be provided to improve both animal welfare and the quality of research data. For research animals, species-appropriate Environmental Enrichment (E2) can be considered as a function of the 3 Rs...

Morris, T., Goulet, S., Morton, D. 2002. The International Symposium on Regulatory Testing and Animal Welfare: Recommendations on best scientific practices for animal care and regulatory toxicology. ILAR Journal 43(Supplement), S123-S125.

The key conclusion from the group's initial discussions was that enough information was now available to make robust recommendations for animal care best practices. Implementation, not information, is therefore the critical issue [p.123]... Well-implemented enrichment...

Guittin, P., Decelle, T. 2002. Future improvements and implementation of animal care practices within the animal testing regulatory environment. ILAR Journal 43(Supplement), S80-S84.

The enrichment of the animals' environment will not likely affect the interpretation of the results, particularly if adequate controls are used. Appropriate enrichment methods can be chosen to be compatible with the aims of the...

Fernández-Teruel, A., Giménez-Llort, L., Escorihuela, R. M. et al. 2002. Early-life handling stimulation and environmental enrichment: Are some of their effects mediated by similar neural mechanisms? Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 73(1), 233-245.

Neonatal (early) handling (EH) and environmental enrichment (EE) of laboratory rodents have been the two most commonly used methods of providing supplementary environmental stimulation in order to study behavioral and neurobiological plasticity. A large body...

Fillman-Holliday, D., Landi, M. S. 2002. Animal care best practices for regulatory testing. ILAR Journal 43(Supplement), S49-S58.

General discussion of environmental enrichment. Many laboratory animal species, especially dogs and nonhuman primates, lose interest and stop using a particular device after exposure to it for some time (authors' experiences). It is best to...

Ohlinger, R., Schwandt, M., Fritz, J. et al. 2000. King Kong® rubber toys: An effective enrichment device for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). The Newsletter 11(2), 3-5.

Subjects were tested on one single occasion each when they had access to a toy for 15 minutes. High percentages of use by two chimpanzees adjacent to social groups suggest that the King Kong toy...