Publications

Assessing local anesthesia in Octopus bimaculoides to provide analgesia

Despite the substantial growth of cephalopod research over the past 15 years, effective pain management for these animals remains largely unstudied, and no US federal regulations currently address cephalopod analgesia. This 2-phase study evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of lidocaine,...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Analgesia, Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Cephalopod, Invertebrate

Citation: Copio, J. N., Schulz, N. G., Ragsdale, C. W. et al. 2026. Assessing local anesthesia in Octopus bimaculoides to provide analgesia. JAALAS 65(2), 171–181.

Environmental enrichment increases foraging duration in Chilean flamingos under human care

Animal welfare is a priority for modern zoos, with environmental enrichment playing a key role in promoting natural behaviors. We studied a captive flock of Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) at the Chilean National Zoo, which was normally fed in a...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Contardo, J., Labra, A., Cubillos, G. 2026. Environmental enrichment increases foraging duration in Chilean flamingos under human care. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 29(1), 144–159.

Assessing nest-building performance in mice: A multifactorial study of strain, age, sex, and environmental factors

Providing nesting material is one of the main forms of environmental enrichment for laboratory mice. Nest building is an innate behavior, widely observed in wild mice, which construct complex, dome-shaped, multi-layered structures. Although various materials can be used in microisolator...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Cintra, L., Hernandes, C. F., Alexandre-Ribeiro, S. R. et al. 2026. Assessing nest-building performance in mice: A multifactorial study of strain, age, sex, and environmental factors. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 83, 98–105.

The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals

A lifelong veterinarian invites us into animal labs—and shares his vision for more compassionate research. For decades, laboratory veterinarian Larry Carbone has advocated for both animal welfare and medical progress. In The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals, he offers an...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Carbone, L. 2026. The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals. University of California Press, 360 pp.

Use of artificial shelter structures by individual Penaeus monodon broodstock prawns

Optimising the housing and management conditions for aquaculture species is becoming increasingly important. Determining what resources animals prefer can inform captive management decisions for positive impacts on the individual’s welfare. The black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) aquaculture industry is prominent...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Crustacean, Invertebrate

Citation: Campbell, D. L. M., Coman, G. J., Stratford, C. et al. 2026. Use of artificial shelter structures by individual Penaeus monodon broodstock prawns. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 296, 106896.

Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens

Depression is one of the most common and impairing mental health disorders in humans. Captive animals may also experience depression-like states, particularly under restrictive housing conditions and in individuals with higher vulnerability to stressors (e.g. more fearful). This study investigated...

Year Published: 2026Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Calderón-Amor, J., Lecorps, B., Luna, D. et al. 2026. Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 297, 106908.

Effects of social pairing on measurable disease outcomes in hospitalized rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) living in outdoor breeding colonies may require transient housing in an indoor hospital setting. While previous studies have documented the benefits of socially housing macaques to promote psychosocial wellbeing, concerns of pathogen transmission or wound tampering...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Burke, M. C., Haertel, A. J., Heagerty, A. et al. 2026. Effects of social pairing on measurable disease outcomes in hospitalized rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 88(4), e70144.

Robust noninvasive detection of hyperglycemia in mouse models of metabolic dysregulation using the novel Urination Index biomarker

Blood glucose is one of the most essential parameters in metabolic research. Yet, accurate blood glucose monitoring in mouse models of diabetes is challenging owing to the substantial stress associated with the measurements and the variability in diabetes development among...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Disease/Experimental ModelAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Brachs, S., Dall, M., Zimbalski, L.-K. et al. 2025. Robust noninvasive detection of hyperglycemia in mouse models of metabolic dysregulation using the novel Urination Index biomarker. Lab Animal 54(12), 379–389.

Behaviour and spatial distribution of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in experimental tanks: Influence of water flow and husbandry procedures

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is increasingly employed as an experimental model, yet knowledge of its behaviour in laboratory settings is limited. This study examined short-term (24 h), mid-term (1 week), and circadian changes in behavioural and spatial patterns of individually-housed trout...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Trout

Citation: Bortoletti, M., Lõoke, M., Pascoli, F. et al. 2026. Behaviour and spatial distribution of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in experimental tanks: Influence of water flow and husbandry procedures. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 295, 106892.

A review of approaches for addressing oral stereotypic behavior in zoo-housed giraffes

Addressing the presence of stereotypies – repetitive, functionless behaviors – has been at the forefront of contemporary welfare research in zoos. Stereotypies present themselves in many different forms, dependent on the biology of a species, internal and external motivational factors,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Bollnow, M. M., Podraza, M. E., Miller, L. J. 2025. A review of approaches for addressing oral stereotypic behavior in zoo-housed giraffes. Zoo Biology 44(6), 535–543.