Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum (2007)

Baumans, V., Coke, C. S., Green, J. et al.

Abstract

This book is a collection of electronic discussions that took place on the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum (LAREF) between October 2002 and May 2007. The forum serves the international animal care and animal research community to promote animal welfare and improve scientific methodology by avoiding or minimizing stress and distress resulting from husbandry and handling practices.Of more than 5,000 comments posted, approximately 3,000 were selected for this book because they have practical animal welfare relevance and are based on first-hand experiences about ways to improve the conditions under which animals are housed and handled in research facilities.The following main topics are discussed: Basic Issues; Maladaptive Behaviors; Environmental Enrichment; Social Housing; Working With Animals; Extraneous Variables.