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. 
Iturrian, W. B., Fink, G. B. 1968. Comparison of bedding material: Habitat preference of pregnant mice and reproductive performance. Laboratory Animal Care [Laboratory Animal Science] 18, 160-164.

Pregnant mice exhibit a definite preference for a processed sawdust bedding material as opposed to a commercial deodorized cellulose.

Iturrian, W. B., Fink, G. B. 1968. Effect of noise in the animal house on seizure susceptibility and growth of mice. Laboratory Animal Care [Laboratory Animal Science] 18, 557-560.
Berkson, G. 1968. Development of abnormal stereotyped behaviors. Developmental Psychology 1, 118-132.

Self-biting in adult, caged macaques is an aggressive response directed to the animal's own body when the threatened object cannot be attacked (p. 128).

Baenninger, L. P. 1967. Comparison of behavioural development in socially isolated and grouped rats. Animal Behaviour 15, 312-323.

Single-housed males showed reduced activity and a greater incidence of stereotypical tail manipulation [substitute social response?] and pawing with hind legs than males housed in groups.

Southwick, C. H. 1967. An experimental study of intragroup agonistic behaviour in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Behaviour 28, 182-209.

A significant increase in agonistic behavior occurred when the distribution of the food was restricted, but the amount of food remained normal. Highly significant increases in the frequency of agonistic behavior occurred with the introduction...

Rowell, T. E. 1967. A quantitative comparison of the behaviour of wild and caged baboon groups. Animal Behaviour 15, 499-509.

(1) A wild and a caged baboon population were compared on the basis of roughly 300 hr of observation on each population. The effect of different population compositions is discussed.

Riopelle, A. J. 1967. The Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals Third Edition. UFAW [Universities Federation for Animal Welfare] (ed), 696-708. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK.

Companionship is far more important [than large cage-volume]. Isolated chimpanzees in large cages show more behavioural effects of environmental restriction than do members of pairs kept in small cages.

Meyer, V., Knobil, E. 1967. Growth hormone secretion in the unanesthetized rhesus monkey in response to noxious stimulation. Endocrinology 80, 163-169.

Individual monkeys exposed to sudden disturbances such as telephone ringing, confrontation by unfamiliar persons, or pinching of the abdominal skin showed an abrupt, marked elevation in plasma growth hormone.

Luck, C. P. , Keeble, S. A. 1967. African Monkeys. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals Third Edition. UFAW [Universities Federation for Animal Welfare] (ed), 734-742. Churchill Livingstone, London, UK.

If housed in a small cage by itself the vervet may become listless and apathetic, although it will survive.

Klingel, H. 1967. Soziale Organisation und Verhalten freilebender Steppenzebras (Equus quagga). Zeitschrift for Tierpsychologie [Ethology] 24, 580-624.
Graff, H., Mallin, R. 1967. The syndrome of the wrist cutter. Journal of Psychiatry 124, 36-42.
Friedman, S. B., Ader, R. 1967. Adrenocortical response to novelty and noxious stimulation. Neuroendocrinology 2, 209-212.

It was found in rats that the magnitude of the stress response to being transferred into an experimental cage is virtually the same as that produced by electrical shock. ... Exposure to a new environment...

Wurtman, R. L. 1967. Effects of light and visual stimuli on endocrine function. In: Neuroendocrinology, Vol. II. Martini L. , Ganong, W. F. (eds), 19-59. Academic Press, New York.

Discussion of the effect of light on neurendocrinological systems.

Porter, G. 1967. Assessment of environmental influence on the biological responses of animals. In: Husbandry of Laboratory Animals. Conalty, M. L. (ed), 29. Academic Press, New York.

Hamsters housed in dark cages show poor reproductive performance.

Pfeffer, P. 1967. Le mouflon de Corse (Ovis ammon musimom); position systematique, ecologie et ethologie comparees. Mammalia 31(Supplement 2), 1-262.
Lynch, J. J., McCarthy, J. F. 1967. The effect of petting on a classically conditioned emotional response. Behaviour Research and Therapy 5, 55-62.
Klingel, H. 1967. Soziale Organisation und Verhalten freilebender Steppenzebras (Equus quagga). Zeitschrift f?r Tierpsychology [Ethology] 24, 580-624.
Kavanau, J. 1967. Behavior of captive white-footed mice. Science 155, 1623-1639.

Wild mice run up to to 31 km/24 h in running wheels.

Fullerton, P. M., Gilliatt, R. W. 1967. Pressure neurophathy in the hind foot of the guinea pig. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 30, 18-25.

Solid-bottom caging is often associated with pressure neurophaties. Evidence suggests that solid-bottom caging, with bedding is preferred by the animals.

Ellis, T. M. 1967. Environmental influences on drug response in laboratory animals. In: Husbandry of Laboratory Animals. Conalty, M. L. (ed), 569-588. Academic Press, New York.

Environmental influences on drug responses in a variety of laboratory animals is discussed.

Coid, C. R. 1967. A system of caging monkeys. Laboratory Animals 1, 25-29.

Conventional double-tier caging system with dark lower-rows is documented.

Berkson, G. 1967. Abnormal stereotyped motor acts. In: Comparative Psychopathology. Zubin, J. , Hunt, H. (eds), 76-94. Grune & Stratton, New York, NY.
Angermeier, W. F., Phelps, J. B., Reynolds, H. H. 1967. Verbal stress and heart-rate in humans exposed in groups. Psychonomic Science 8, 515-516.
Anderson, S. L., Gantt, W. H. 1966. The effect of person on cardiac and motor responsivity to shock in dogs. Conditional Reflex 1, 181-189.
Gantt, W. H., Newton, J. E. O., Royer, F. L. et al. 1966. Effect of person. Conditional Reflex 1, 18-35.

The procedures which we have used in testing the Effect of Person are as follows:1. The Person enters the room, stands in the doorway for 10 sec., then approaches the animal, and after 30 sec...