A volume in American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine
2014, Pages 213–231
Chapter 14 – Dog and Cat Welfare in a Research Environment
Abstract
There
is often a heightened concern for the welfare of dogs and cats since
they play a special role as companion animals. While most individuals
with knowledge of dogs or cats have opinions about what constitutes good
welfare, there are unique considerations that must be applied for these
species as laboratory animals. Oversight of measures that promote good
welfare begins even before acquisition and continues throughout the life
of the animal. Included are discussions of choosing the right animal,
transportation to the research facility, care at the facility,
importance of socialization, acclimation, and enrichment, and re-homing
of laboratory dogs and cats. As knowledge and perspectives change about
what constitutes good welfare, so too does the expectation for better
care at all stages of the animal's life.
Keywords
- Acclimation;
- Adoption;
- Animal welfare;
- Cat;
- Dog;
- Environmental enrichment;
- Exercise;
- Housing;
- Husbandry;
- Socialization
