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. 
Brent, L., Eichberg, J. W. 1991. Woodchip bedding as enrichment for captive chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology 24, 91-92.

Abnormal behavior and environmental manipulation were significantly lower during the woodchip [not mixed with food] condition.

Brent, L., Lee, D. R., Eichberg, J. W. 1991. Evaluation of a chimpanzee enrichment enclosure . Journal of Medical Primatology 20(1), 29-34.

A large, three-part playground for captive chimpanzees was constructed and evaluated in terms of area use and behavior changes. Comparative behavioral samples were obtained on 38 subjects in the existing indoor-outdoor run and in the...

Brent, L., Eichberg, J. W. 1991. Primate puzzleboard: A simple environmental enrichment device for captive chimpanzees. Zoo Biology 10, 353-360.

Treat-loaded transparent board with finger holes is attached to the top of the cage. Mean 'puzzle use' during four 60-minute trials was 17%.

Brain, P. F., Kusumorini, N., Benton, D. 1991. Anxiety in rodents: a brief review of some recent behavioural developments. Behavioural Processes 25, 71-80.

Fear, the emotional state presumed to be normally induced by exposure to potentially dangerous objects, individuals or situations. Anxiety, a less focussed, more passive and less intense version of fear.

Bond, M. 1991. How to collect urine from a gorilla. Gorilla Gazette 5(3), 12-13.

Training technique is clearly described. Mandara not only urinates on demand but has been known to go get a drink of water if we happen to ask for a sample when her bladder is empty.

Buffington, C. A. 1991. Nutrition and nutrional disorders. In: Feline Husbandry: Diseases and Management in the Multiple Cat Environment. Pedersin. N. (ed), 345. American Veterinary Publishing, Goleta, CA.
Bloomsmith, M. A., Brent, L., Schapiro, S. J. 1991. Guidelines for developing and managing an environmental enrichment program for nonhuman primates. Laboratory Animal Science 41, 372-377.

The importance of evaluating any enrichment program cannot be overstated. Quantitatively measuring animals' responses to the enrichment(s) is certainly the best way to evaluate an item or procedure.

Bhatia, M. S., Singhal, P. K., Rastogi, V. 1991. Clinical profile of trichotillomania. Journal of the Indian Medical Association 89, 137-139.
Bernstein, I. S. 1991. Social housing of monkeys and apes: Group formations. Laboratory Animal Science 41, 329-333.

A discussion of group-formation, group-introduction and group-housing management practices.

Bernstein, I. S., Ruehlmann, T. E., Judge, P. G. et al. 1991. Testosterone changes during the period of adolescence in male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 24, 29-38.

Group-housed males were trained to present a leg for venipuncture [in a transport cage]. [Training technique is not described.]

Beckley, S. A. 1991. An examination of various foraging components and their suitability as enrichment tools for captively housed primates. Dissertation Abstracts International B51(11), 5197 (Abstract).

Feeding enrichment devices were developed in tested. Vertically mounted foraging racks are beneficial because they increased locomotion, decreased hoarding, and appeared to increase the [group-housed] animals' interest in the feeding task.

Bayne, K., Mainzer, H., Dexter, S. L. et al. 1991. The reduction of abnormal behaviors in individually housed rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with a foraging/grooming board. American Journal of Primatology 23, 23-35.

All of the single-housed animals foraged from the board to the point that a significant reduction in the level of abnormal behavior [5%] was noted. Most animals also groomed the fleece covering the board. Subjects...

Bayne, K., Dexter, S. L., Suomi, S. J. 1991. Social housing ameliorates behavioral pathology in Cebus apella. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 30(2), 9-12.

No specific enrichment devices were included in the [single-] cages. The seven subjects' mean percentage of occurrence of stereotypic behaviors was 13%.Change from single- to group-housing effectively reduced stereotypic behaviors; however, it also was associated...

Bayne, K. 1991. Providing environmental enrichment to captive primates. The Compendium North American Edition 13, 1689-1693.

A very useful introduction to the principles of environmental enrichment. A preventive approach to providing for the psychological well-being of captive primates may include the following: (1) the provision of compatible social partners if the...

Bayne, K. 1991. Alternatives to continuous social housing. Laboratory Animal Science 41, 353-359.

Discussion of inanimate and feeding enrichment options.

Briese, E., Cabanac, M. 1991. Stress hyperthermia: Physiological arguments that it is fever. Physiology and Behavior 49, 1153-1157.

Manual restraint increases body temperature in rats.

Bradshaw, A. L., Poling, A. 1991. Choice by rats for enriched versus standard home cages: Plastic pipes, wood platforms, wood chips, and paper towels as enrichment items. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior 55, 245-250.

Most [of the individually tested male] rats preferred cages with wood platforms, wood chips, and paper towels to otherwise identical [barren, wire mesh] cages. .... Plastic pipes ... were not preferred by most animals. Both...

Blokhuis, H. J. 1991. Effects of rearing conditions on feather pecking in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30, 186 (Abstract).

Experimental results indicate that feather pecking is a from or redirected ground pecking. Litter-reared birds had significantly less feather damage [suggesting that they engaged in less feather pecking] than goups reared on wire floor. The...

Baker, A. 1991. Training as a management tool: Creating the climate and maintaining the momentum. American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Annual Conference Proceedings, 563-568.

A general discussion of training programs.

Applebee, K. A., Marshall, P. E., McNab, A. M. 1991 . A prototype rhesus cage to satisfy the needs of the Home Office, research, the animal technician and most importantly the monkey. Animal Technology 42, 23-38.

The design of this [prototype] cage and the lessons we have learned will enable us to improve on present facilities and, it is anticipated, to help relieve the stress and boredom which so often occurs...

Anonymous 1991. The psychological well-being of primates. Primate News 25(Fall), 3-5.

All our experience, presently being confirmed by the research of Dr. Eaton, tells us that the best we can give the monkeys to enrich their environment is not an artificial branch or plastic toy, but...

Anderson, J. R., Visalberghi, E. 1991. Primate psychological well-being: A comparative approach to environmental enrichment for captive primates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30, 195 (Abstract).

The presence of woodchips and especially the introduction of [unspecified] objects, reduced general locomotor activity in the capuchins; however, the objects had no such effect on the lemurs, and the provision of woodchips plus grain...

Adams, B. W., Olsen, M. C. 1991. Two enrichment devices for Saimiri sciureus. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Bulletin 30(4), 23 (Abstract).

Two enrichment devices [suspended chain and rings placed on cage floor] were successfully introduced to singly-caged male squirrel monkeys to increase cage complexity.

Allen, K., Blascovich, J., Tomaka, J. et al. 1991. Presence of human friends and pet dogs as moderators of autonomic responses to stress in women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 61, 582-589.

Autonomic responses were measured while 45 adult women performed a standard experimental stress task in the laboratory with only the experimenter present and 2 weeks later at home in the presence of a female friend...

Batchelor, G. R. 1991. Environment enrichment for the laboratory pig. Animal Technology 42, 185-189.

This brief paper attempts to illustrate the simple ideas that can be used to enhance the environment of the laboratory pig. ... It does not describe the behaviour of the pig in any detail but...