How different species affect the relationship (1996)

Wolfle, T. L.

Abstract

It is not an overstatement to say the right technician instills qualities in the animals that make them better and more reliable research subjects. Stress, on the other hand, leads to profound physiological and behavioral changes that increase the variability of the data and decrease the reliability of the results... The caretaker or technician is at the pinnacle of a cascading series of environmental and social influences that determine the well-being of the animals. He must strive to develop a social bond with all animals. ... The bond with the caregiver conveys to an animal a quiet sense of assurance upon which coping strategies can be developed.