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 that include earlier publications) can be filtered by Animal Type, Setting, and Topic. Most publications older than 2010 can only be searched by keyword. 
Olsen, H. E., Vogel, K. D., Creutzinger, K. C. 2024. Use of a calving blind that imitates a natural environment. Animals 14(8), 1171.

Many indoor-housed cows isolate at calving when given the opportunity, and calving behaviors vary by blind and pen design. The objectives of this study were to determine if cows preferred calving in a visibly separated...

Padalino, B., Menchetti, L. 2024. The first protocol for assessing the welfare of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) kept under nomadic pastoralism. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

There is no protocol to measure the welfare level of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarious) kept under pastoralism—the predominant husbandry system of this species. This study therefore aimed to develop and describe a protocol for measuring...

Papadopoulos, D. K., Lattos, A., Chatzigeorgiou, I. et al. 2024. The influence of water nitrate concentration combined with elevated temperature on rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in an experimental aquaponic setup. Fishes 9(2), 74.

Intensive recirculating systems are a fast-developing sector of aquaculture. While several warm-water fish have been reared in aquaponics, almost no data are available for cold-water species. The determination of nitrate toxicity thresholds in recirculating aquaculture...

Paterson, E. A., O’Malley, C. I., Abney, D. M. et al. 2024. Development of a novel primate welfare assessment tool for research macaques. Animal Welfare 33, e3.

Primates are important species for biomedical research and ensuring their good welfare is critical for research translatability and ethical responsibility. Systematic animal welfare assessments can support continuous programme improvements and build institutional awareness of areas...

Razal, C., Bryant, J., Miller, L. 2024. Assessing giraffe welfare during seasonal habitat changes in Northern US zoos. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 12(1), 9–15.

Although there has been an increase in research studying the impact of housing on zoo animal welfare, there is still a lack of literature regarding the impact of seasonal housing differences on animal welfare. In...

Richardson, S. 2024. Primate enrichment categories: A literature review of current trends. Animal Behavior and Cognition 11(1), 87–100.

Environmental enrichment aims to enhance primate wellbeing by providing physical and mental stimuli to address the biological and psychological needs of individuals. However, lack of knowledge regarding the development of enrichment research hampers implementors and...

Roche, S. M., Ralston, B. J., Olson, B. et al. 2024. Efficacy of a lidocaine-impregnated elastrator band for castration and tail docking in lambs. Animals 14(10), 1403.

The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the non-inferiority between lidocaine-impregnated ligation bands (LLBs) and control bands (CBs) with respect to the efficacy of castration and tail docking. Secondary objectives were to compare...

Rodríguez-Trujillo, R., Batista-Arteaga, M., Iusupova, K. et al. 2024. Comparison of propofol and alfaxalone as anesthesic drugs in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomies (healthy bitches and with pyometra) and cesarean sections. Animals 14(9), 1343.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of two anesthetic agents, alfaxalone and propofol, on maternal physiological parameters (heart and respiratory rates, blood pressure, and temperature) on either ovariohysterectomies or cesarean sections in bitches. A...

Roschke, N. N., Hillebrandt, K. H., Polenz, D. et al. 2024. Optimizing environmental enrichment for Sprague Dawley rats: Exemplary insights into the liver proteome. PLOS ONE 19(4), e0297497.

Background Considering the expected increase in the elderly population and the growing emphasis on aging-related biomedical research, the demand for aged laboratory animals has surged, challenging established husbandry practices. Our objective was to establish a...

Rucinque, D. S., Velarde, A., Xercavins, A. et al. 2024. Alternatives to carbon dioxide in two phases for the improvement of broiler chickens’ welfare during stunning. Animals 14(3), 486.

This study evaluated the exposure to gas mixtures of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with nitrogen (N2) as alternatives to CO2 in two phases to improve the welfare of broiler chickens at slaughter. Broilers were exposed...

Sanz-Moreno, A., da Silva-Buttkus, P., Terwee, C. B. et al. 2024. Assessment of quality of life and wellbeing in mouse preclinical research – A scoping review. Neuroscience Applied 3, 104058.

Mouse preclinical research is of great scientific interest to understand the mechanisms of human diseases and test potential therapeutic interventions. Researchers characterize biological and physiological traits, behaviors and disease symptoms using standardized phenotypic protocols in...

Savel, S., Legou, T. 2024. The dog soundscape: Recurrence, emotional impact, acoustics, and implications for dog observations and dog–human interactions. Animals 14(2), 279.

While numerous dog behavioral studies use environmental sounds, the dog soundscape remains undescribed. We proposed a list of 79 sounds classified into six categories: Dog, Dog accessories, Human, city and vehicles, Garden, countryside and weather...

Scandurra, A., D’Aniello, B., Pero, M. E. et al. 2024. Human social buffer in goats and dogs. Animal Cognition 27(1), 1.

The primary goal of this study was to explore the social buffering effect that humans offer to goats and dogs with limited exposure to human socialization, particularly in situations involving interactions with unfamiliar humans. A...

Scanes, C. G., Pierzchała-Koziec, K., Gajewska, A. 2024. Effects of restraint stress on circulating corticosterone and met enkephalin in chickens: Induction of shifts in insulin secretion and carbohydrate metabolism. Animals 14(5), 752.

This study examined the effects of acute restraint stress in the presence or absence of naltrexone on the circulating concentrations of insulin, glucose, Met-enkephalin and corticosterone in 14-week-old chickens [design: 2 sex × 2 stress/non-stress...

Schiele, A. R., Henze, I. S., Bettschart-Wolfensberger, R. et al. 2024. Antinociceptive and cardiorespiratory effects of a single dose of dexmedetomidine in laboratory mice subjected to craniotomy under general anaesthesia with isoflurane and carprofen or meloxicam. Animals 14(6), 913.

Pain refinement represents an important aspect of animal welfare in laboratory animals. Refining analgesia regimens in mice undergoing craniotomy has been sparsely investigated. Here, we sought to investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine in combination with...

Schmitt, O., Finnegan, E., Trevarthen, A. et al. 2024. Exploring the similarities between risk factors triggering depression in humans and elevated in-cage “inactive but awake” behavior in laboratory mice. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Depression is a human mental disorder that can also be inferred in non-human animals. This study explored whether time spent inactive but awake (“IBA”) in the home-cage in mice was further triggered by risk factors...

Sharma, S., Magnitsky, S., Reesey, E. et al. 2024. Novel development of magnetic resonance imaging to quantify the structural anatomic growth of diverse organs in adult and mutant zebrafish. Zebrafish 21(1), 28–38.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a widely used vertebrate animal for modeling genetic diseases by targeted editing strategies followed by gross phenotypic and biomarker characterization. While larval transparency permits microscopic detection of anatomical defects, histological adult...

Skånberg, L., Holt, R. V., Newberry, R. C. et al. 2024. Making the most of life: Environmental choice during rearing enhances the ability of laying hens to take opportunities. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

The potential of aviary housing for improving laying hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) welfare will be constrained if rearing conditions limit the hens’ behavioral ability to take opportunities. Incorporating theories on developmental plasticity and animal agency...

Spitzer, H. B., Meagher, R. K., O’Sullivan, M. L. et al. 2024. The effect of a hiding space on the behaviour and heart rate variability of dairy calves during temporary separation from the dam. Animal Welfare 33, e2.

In natural settings, newborn calves hide for several days before joining the herd. It is unclear whether dairy calves housed indoors would show similar hiding behaviour. This study aimed to describe the use of an...

Streiff, C., Herrera, A., Voelkl, B. et al. 2024. The impact of cage dividers on mouse aggression, dominance and hormone levels. PLOS ONE 19(2), e0297358.

Home cage aggression in group-housed male mice is a major welfare concern and may compromise animal research. Conventional cages prevent flight or retreat from sight, increasing the risk that agonistic encounters will result in injury...

Suba-Bokodi, É., Nagy, I., Molnár, M. 2024. The impact of transportation on the cortisol level of dwarf rabbits bred to animal-assisted interventions. Animals 14(5), 664.

(1) Background: the popularity of rabbits has increased during the last decade and become the third most common companion animal in the EU. Rabbits’ participation in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) is growing. It is highly important...

Travain, T., Lazebnik, T., Zamansky, A. et al. 2024. Environmental enrichments and data-driven welfare indicators for sheltered dogs using telemetric physiological measures and signal processing. Scientific Reports 14(1), 3346.

Shelters are stressful environments for domestic dogs which are known to negatively impact their welfare. The introduction of outside stimuli for dogs in this environment can improve their welfare and life conditions. However, our current...

Van Damme, L. G. W., Ipek, N., Verwaeren, J. et al. 2024. Cage enrichment to minimize aggression in part-time group-housed female breeding rabbits. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

In most rabbit farms, breeding does kindle and nurse their kits in single-litter cages throughout their entire reproduction cycle. However, the protective behavior can lead to aggressive displays and injuries when the does are housed...

Varholick, J. A., Godinez, G., Jenkins, A. et al. 2024. Bite wounds and dominance structures in male and female African spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus): Implications for animal welfare and the generalizability of experimental results. Animals 14(1), 64.

Bite wounds due to aggression in male laboratory mice (Mus musculus) are a major welfare concern, often leading to attrition, chronic activation of the innate immune system, and significant impacts on the experimental results derived...

Whitham, J. C., Miller, L. J. 2024. Utilizing vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of non-human mammals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

This review discusses how welfare scientists can examine vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of individual animals. In recent years, researchers working in professionally managed settings have recognized the value of monitoring the...