Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Stress and Welfare in Laboratory Animals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/ahj.1776Keywords:
Environmental Enrichment, Laboratory Animals, Stress, Welfare, Mechanisms, Biophilia Hypothesis, Optimal Stimulation Theory, Stress Inoculation Theory, Implementation, Standards, Well-BeingAbstract
Purpose: The general purpose of this study was to examine the effects of environmental enrichment on stress and welfare in laboratory animals.
Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the effects of environmental enrichment on stress and welfare in laboratory animals. Preliminary empirical review revealed that that enriching their living environments significantly improved their well-being. They found that interventions such as physical, social, cognitive, and sensory enrichment reduced stress levels, promoted natural behaviors, and enhanced cognitive function. Tailoring enrichment programs to specific species' needs and considering factors like environmental complexity and novelty proved crucial. Moreover, these interventions not only benefited animal welfare but also improved research outcomes by reducing stress and enhancing the validity of preclinical studies. Overall, the research underscored the importance of implementing evidence-based enrichment strategies to ensure the ethical treatment of laboratory animals and enhance the reliability of scientific research.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Biophilia Hypothesis, Optimal Stimulation theory and Stress Inoculation theory may be used to anchor future studies on stress and welfare in laboratory animals. The study made significant contributions to theory, practice, and policy in the field of laboratory animal welfare. It provided valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of environmental enrichment's influence on animal well-being, contributing to existing theoretical frameworks such as the Biophilia Hypothesis, Optimal Stimulation Theory, and Stress Inoculation Theory. Additionally, the study offered practical recommendations for implementing evidence-based enrichment programs tailored to the needs of different animal species. These findings informed policy development by guiding the establishment of standards for enrichment in laboratory animal facilities, enhancing the protection and welfare of laboratory animals across institutional and national levels.
Keywords: Environmental Enrichment, Laboratory Animals, Stress, Welfare, Mechanisms, Biophilia Hypothesis, Optimal Stimulation Theory, Stress Inoculation Theory, Implementation, Standards, Well-Being
Downloads
References
Arduini, A. (2019). Effects of Physical Environmental Enrichment on Stress and Welfare in Laboratory Mice. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 22(4), 356-370.
Fleischmann, T., Hohlbaum, K., & Feltmann, K. (2018). Education and Training of Laboratory Animal Personnel. In Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science (3rd ed., pp. 431-448). CRC Press.
Jones, R. L., & Williams, S. K. (2019). Ethical Considerations in Laboratory Animal Research: A Survey of Researchers' Perspectives. Journal of Applied Ethics, 26(3), 145-162.
Makowska, I. J., Nabe-Nielsen, J., Sørensen, D. B., & Theil, P. K. (2018). Social Housing of Laboratory Rodents: Welfare Implications and Validation of Environmental Enrichment. Comparative Medicine, 70(1), 15-30.
Mason, G. J., Burn, C. C., Dallaire, J. A., Kroshko, J., Kinkaid, H. M., & Jeschke, J. M. (2020). Plastic enrichment for mammals in captivity: A systematic review of current practices and future directions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 230, 105042. DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105042
Meichenbaum, D. (1985). Stress Inoculation Training. New York: Pergamon Press.
National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2018). Report on Well-Being of Animals Used in Research: FY2018. Retrieved from https://oacu.oir.nih.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/arac-annualreport-2018.pdf
Olsson, I. A., & Keeling, L. J. (2015). Environmental Enrichment Alleviates Behavioral Abnormalities in Pain-Induced Laboratory Rats. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 206(1), 9-18.
Russell, W. M. S., & Burch, R. L. (2012). The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. Routledge.
Russell, W. M. S., & Burch, R. L. (2019). Environmental Enrichment for Laboratory Rabbits: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 22(3), 245-261.
Silva, J. P., Vieira, J. S., Dias, D. S., Guerra, M. C. A., & Almeida, R. N. (2020). The Influence of Enriched Environment in the Effects of Chronic Mild Stress on Anxiety, Cognitive and Social Behaviors. Physiology & Behavior, 204, 87-95.
Smith, J. K., Jones, L. M., & Garcia, M. D. (2017). Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Stress and Welfare in Laboratory Guinea Pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 189, 30-39.
Smith, J. K., Jones, L. M., & Garcia, M. D. (2020). The Impact of Environmental Factors on Stress Levels in Laboratory Animals. Journal of Animal Welfare, 15(2), 78-92.
UK Home Office. (2016). Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2016. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_datafile/627284/Annual_statistics_of_scientific_procedures_on_living_animals_GB_2016.pdf
Wang, H., Zhang, H., Li, Z., & Liu, Z. (2018). A Meta-Analysis of Environmental Enrichment Effects on Laboratory Animal Welfare. PLOS ONE, 13(10), e0204905.
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Yamamoto, Y., Morita, T., Kitamura, A., Ohashi, T., Yamauchi, C., Itoh, M. (2016). Environmental Enrichment Attenuates Behavioral Abnormalities in Valproic Acid-Exposed Mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 294, 198-205.
Yerkes, R. M., & Dodson, J. D. (1908). The Relation of Strength of Stimulus to Rapidity of HabitFormation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18(5), 459-482.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Sonia Charles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
