Enrichment Record 14 - January 2013

Volume 14, JANUARY 2013 Record

THE

Publisher:Global Research Education and Training, LLC • Email: [email protected] • Website: http://enrichmentrecord.com

coemnmraiubconhuimcteantitng

Explaining Enrichment Engagingly
Environmental Enrichment
for Xenopus Iaevis

Kidding Around in the Laboratory
Animal Facility—Goat Enrichment

Environmental Enrichment
in Chinese Research Facilities

Doggy Door for Macaque
Dam/Infant Pairs

Key Event Partners

4 SPRING 2010 | ENRICHMENTRECORD.COM

THE R e c o r d IN THIS ISSUE Winter 2013

EDITORIAL BOARD In Other Words 2
Upcoming Meetings 5
Tim Allen, M.S. 5
Animal Welfare Information Center Resources 7
Idea Exchange 9
Genevieve Andrews-Kelly, B.S., LATG
Huntingdon Life Sciences Meeting Up

Elizabeth Dodemaide, B.V.Sc., M.A., MACVSc Explaining Enrichment Engagingly 10
Associate Director, Laboratory Animal Services 12
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Environmental Enrichment for Xenopus Iaevis 14

Karen Froberg-Fejko, V.M.D., President, Bio-Serv Kidding Around in the Laboratory Animal Facility—
Goat Enrichment
Joanne Gere, Founder, BioScience Collaborative
Doggy Door for Macaque Dam/Infant Pairs 17
Jayne Mackta
President & CEO, Global Research Education & Training LLC Environmental Enrichment in Chinese Research Facilities 18
20
Emily G. Patterson-Kane, Ph.D. Enriching Profile 22
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Enrichment Record Poster Repository 23
Animal Welfare Division
Abstract
Kathleen L. Smiler, D.V.M., DACLAM
Consultant, Laboratory Animal Medicine

Rhoda Weiner, Weiner & Associates

Joanne Zurlo, Ph.D.
Director of Science Strategy
The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT)

Please direct all inquiries to
Rhoda Weiner, Editor: [email protected]

We’d love to hear from you!
We welcome your comments, observations and contributions
to The Enrichment Record. Contributors include lab animal
veterinarians, principal investigators, animal care staff, animal
behaviorists, animal technologists and members of the bioscience
community who promote the 4 Rs: reduction, replacement,
refinement and respect.

Share your story ideas with Rhoda Weiner, Editor at
[email protected]
Guidelines for authors can be accessed at
http://enrichmentrecord.com/contribute/

Please give credit where credit is due.
Outstanding animal care is truly a team effort, and we ask
you to credit colleagues, published reports, articles, and other
reference materials that have contributed to your enrichment article.
Great ideas don’t happen in a vacuum, and we encourage you
to list all sources of inspiration.

The Enrichment Record is not a peer-reviewed journal.
However, the Editorial Board of this E-Zine is
composed of dedicated volunteers who have
extensive experience and expertise in the
care of laboratory animals. Members of the
Board are involved with all aspects of this
publication.

The Enrichment Record is published in October, January,
April and July. If you are interested in advertising in
The Enrichment Record, please visit:
http://enrichmentrecord.com/advertise/

Publisher:
GR8 (Global Research Education & Training, LLC)
http://enrichmentrecord.com
Jayne Mackta, President & CEO

1WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

The Enrichment Record In Other Words
is a quarterly E-Zine/Forum for:
Recently, I’ve been thinking about all the
• Discussing environmental ways we are trying to share information
enrichment in the optimal care about the value of environmental
of laboratory animals enrichment for laboratory animals. It’s a
communications challenge to find the right
• Documenting best practices and medium as well as credible messengers,
approaches for addressing who can get the attention of skeptical
challenges of implementation professionals who populate our community.
& assessment at every level In these times of tight budgets and short
attention spans, we must leverage every
• Sharing data on the impact opportunity to get people to listen and learn
of environmental enrichment on about a subject still dismissed by some as
the science a “distraction.”

• Building the case for integrating The many posters and presentations that addressed EE at National
enrichment into research design AALAS in November inspired us to expand our stable of writers, and
the eager response to our outreach has been overwhelming. Authors
If you are interested in advertising are excited by the opportunity to give their posters expanded visibility
in The Enrichment Record, please through the online Poster Repository as well as to share their abstracts
visit: http://enrichmentrecord. in print with our global audience. Content experts have agreed to write
com/advertise/ or contact articles for future issues of The Enrichment Record. And we tapped the
Jayne Mackta, Publisher: most compelling speakers to present at “The Enrichment Extravaganza,”
[email protected] which we sponsor each Spring in different venues.

Advertising deadlines In the Meeting Up section of this publication, volunteers summarize
January Issue—December 1 highlights from other conferences and symposia held in different parts
April Issue—March 1 of the country, so our readers get an idea of who’s talking about
July Issue—June 1 enrichment and what they are saying. We’d like more in-depth coverage
October Issue—September 1 of these high quality programs and welcome early communication on
the part of the organizers so we can help publicize upcoming events
Advertising Rates and report on programs in a timely way.
Single Issue
1/4 page $350 Be sure to stay in touch in the New Year!
1/2 page $500
Full page $1,000 Communication is a circle with a constant exchange of information
flowing in and out. We are doing our part, but success really depends
4 Issues on you—our readers. Keep us vibrant and vital by sharing your EE ideas,
1/4 page $1,120 programs and research. Then make sure to spread the word by
1/2 page $1,600 sharing The Enrichment Record with colleagues, friends and members
Full page $3,200 of the broader caring community.

The Enrichment Record Jayne Mackta, Publisher
is an 8.5” x 11” format. President & CEO, Global Research Education
Full color; 300 dpi pdfs accepted. & Training, LLC (GR8)

Visit out website—
browse past issues:
http://enrichmentrecord.com

2 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Meeting Announcement Submission Form

To facilitate informed Please submit the following information
discussion about to Rhoda Weiner, Editor [email protected]

environmental enrichment, organization
we have joined the
contact Name
Linkedin Group called
Laboratory Animal Sciences. Phone

This group allows members Email
of the laboratory animal science
community and our readers to interact date of Event
over a web-based platform to compare
ideas and methods. To participate, time of event

you will need to create a event location
Linkedin account and then
join the Laboratory Animal type of event

Sciences Group. Conference Workshop Lecture

It’s easy! It’s free! It’s a safe Meeting with featured speaker
and secure place where you can say
Brief description of the evEnt
what’s on your mind.
Click here to get started.

We’re always
looking for

new ideas, concepts
and articles!

Please share your
thoughts

with Rhoda Weiner,
Editor at

[email protected]

| 3WINTER 2013 THE ENRICHMENT RECORD



Upcoming Meetings Resources

Laboratory Animal Science BioConference Live REEC
February 13-14, 2013
This is a virtual conference open to the research community http://www.enrichment.org/miniwebfile.
at no charge. Includes Enrichment Track php?Region=REEC
See website http://www.bioconferencelive.com/ Many organizations do not have money in their
events.php?event_id=2 budgets to send animal management staff to
International conferences, but it is important
21st IAATE Annual Conference International that they are involved in current research,
AssocIATION of Avian Trainers and Educators have access to information on enrichment, and
February 27-March 2, 2013 share their enrichment experiences. We can all
Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, FL learn from each other as, in the end, we are
Topics include avian behavior, training, husbandry, conservation, all doing this to improve the welfare of our
education, enrichment, and show presentation and production. animals.
http://www.IAATE.org
REEC stands for Regional Environmental
MSMR Laboratory Animal Enrichment Symposium Enrichment Conferences. These meetings
Friday, March 15, 2013 stem from conversations among delegates at
Starr Center, Boston, MA the International Conference on Environmental
Hosted by Schepens Eye Research Institute Enrichment held in New York in 2005. A group
For more information, go to http://www.msmr.org came up with the idea of forming regional
committees (SHAPE*—Regionals) to organize
Enrichment Extravaganza at Eli Lilly meetings in different regions of the world,
April 10, 2013 with the purpose of interesting people from
Indianapolis, IN all aspects of the animal-care industry in the
To exhibit or submit a poster abstract, contact Denise Bianco discipline of environmental enrichment.
at 908-228-2203 or Email: [email protected] The mission of REEC meetings is to provide
a venue for animal carers from smaller regions
Enrichment Extravaganza at Rutgers in New Jersey of the world to meet and discuss environmen-
May 22, 2013 tal enrichment. A primary goal is to encourage
To exhibit or submit a poster abstract, contact Denise at more people to attend enrichment meetings,
908-228-2203 or Email: [email protected] speak at the International conferences, and
publish their work in proceedings and
Shape of Enrichment Workshop The Shape of Enrichment.
June 9-13, 2013 To date, conferences have been hosted by
Omaha, Nebraska UK & Ireland, Australasia, Brazil and Sweden.
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
This 4-day workshop consists of lectures, discussions, and * SHAPE = Scientific Holistic Approach to Positive Enrichment!
hands-on activities designed to encourage participants to
develop and maintain goal-oriented, holistic, individual, and | 5WINTER 2013 THE ENRICHMENT RECORD
assessed enrichment plans.
http://www.enrichment.org
http://www.enrichment.org/miniwebfile.php?Region=
International&NotFlag=1&File2=index_sb.html

11th International Conference
of Environmental Enrichment (ICEE)
October 15-18, 2013
Dinokeng Game Reserve
Kwalata Game Ranch in the Dinokeng Conservancy
South Africa
This will be the first ICEE to be held in the field, 45 km
from Pretoria.
http://www.enrichment.org/miniwebfile.php?
Region=ICEE&File=11icee.html&File2=11icee_
sb.html_sb&NotFlag=1
http://www.nzg.ac.za/icee2013/

REMEMBER:

Please send notification of your Upcoming Meetings
to Rhoda Weiner at [email protected]

http://www.bio-serv.com/product/K3583.html

Idea Exchange ROPE TOY

Marcie Donnelly, Sr. Scientist, Clinical Services
Dept. of SALAR, Merck & Co., Inc.

Enrichment One of our Non-Human Primate’s (NHP) favorite enrichment devices
In the Spotlight is a hanging rope toy. The toy is made up of natural jute rope—
12 to 14 inches in length and 3 inches in girth. The rope is secured by
A new idea-sharing non-toxic glue into a PVC cap on each end, with a hook allowing you
column for to place a clip for hanging either inside or outside of an animal’s cage.
We use them primarily on the outside of our cages, where
The Enrichment Record– eventually the animals pull the rope completely apart. It’s been
a showcase a great destructive enrichment for the monkeys. They spend
for your approximately 1 week working on pulling the rope apart, at which
favorite time we throw it out. We have also used this enrichment device
enrichment inside of our gang housing play cage, where the animals have been
device! observed using it as a swing.

Please provide a photo This device can be used for both Rhesus and Cynomologous monkeys;
of your favorite foraging the cynos seem to enjoy this device more than most of the rhesus.
Because cynos really seem to enjoy playing with various toys and
device, manipulanda, being busy, this is a perfect device for them. They often spend hours
puzzle feeder, etc., pulling the rope slowly apart to form a nest in their cage, which
we will leave in place for 2 to 3 days. We are lucky to have an
along with a brief narrative. understanding care staff that allows them to enjoy the “nests” they
List the species that create with pieces of rope for a few days before removing them.
it is intended for, So far, we have not had any clogged drains.

describe how the device The benefit of the device is the amount of time the animals spend
is used, and include utilizing it. Since the animals spend hours focusing their attention on
pulling the rope strands, this “destructive” enrichment component has
a short statement on the been very effective for hair pullers and others with behavioral issues.
durability, cost, pros and cons. Added benefits are no extra calories, as they would get from food
treats, and, when finished, the device is simply tossed in the garbage.
How much time is invested The impact on staff time is minimal: washing the ropes through
in preparation, and how a hot water only cycle, placing clips on the hooks, and hanging on
does that compare with the cages. The only negative aspect of the device is the price,
the time invested by the approximately $22.00 per rope. But, when the animals work the
animals? If you have rope for approximately 5 to 7 days, this makes it a better value, and
when used with other non-destructive enrichment, the cost is not as
performed any behavioral high as you might think. We usually give these ropes out once every
evaluations and a 1-2 months, so cost versus benefit is worth it for us.

cost analysis, include
that as well.

Please send your ideas to:
Genevieve Andrews-Kelly
at [email protected]

Thank you!

7WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD



Meeting Up

There’s an old saying that “You can’t dance at two weddings at once.” You also can’t attend all the meetings
and conferences taking place that offer the latest information in the field of laboratory animal science.
Meeting Up will provide summaries of panels, workshops and symposia covering topics relevant to
Environmental Enrichment. If you want more information about any of the presentations described or

want to contact the presenters, let us know and we will be happy to connect you: [email protected]

Innovative Environmental Facial expression of pain for a good animal model was
discussed in the context of behavior.
Enrichment Symposium in laboratory rodents “Good” animal models being those
Jeffrey Mogil, McGill University that present in “good” behavioral
By Jennifer Camacho, LVT, LATG states defined by their affective state
of emotion, represented by complex,
Karen Froberg-Fejko, LATG, VMD Dr. Mogil developed a facial grimace dynamic behaviors. This speaker
described affective states of emotion
The 6th Annual Enrichment scale in mice using digital video and and reviewed behaviors exhibited
by non-human primates in these
Symposium was held on Sunday, cropping the area so that only the face perceived states supported by
biological and physiological data
November 4th, 2012 satellite to of the mouse is seen. A grimace scale parameters. Practical applications
of care, social housing and operant
National AALAS at the Hilton Hotel was developed from 0=grimace is not conditioning were also described as
processes that can increase the
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The meet- visible to 2=grimace is visible, and it animals’ affective state and quality
as a laboratory animal model.
ing is hosted by The Massachusetts was tested to be a reliable means of
Is Environmental Compensation
General Hospital and the purpose evaluating pain in mice. His paradigm The Keystone of Welfare Reform
for Primates?
of this symposium is to highlight appears to be reliable in rats and may Paul Honess, Ph.D. Bioculture Group
This presentation reviewed the use
innovative animal enrichment and be a means of assessing pain in other of enrichment, cage complexity and
space—defined as “environmental
conditioning programs and to species. compensation” as a component of
a behavioral management program
identify interesting leads for further Effects of social environment and specifically for a group housing
investigation that may improve housing conditions on the brain, scenario in a breeding facility.
enrichment strategies in the physiology, behavior of laboratory The presentation highlighted data
laboratory research environment. animals: friend or foe to support enrichment validations
encouraging best practices and avoid
The following were highlights from Scott Wersinger, Buffalo University a ‘reinvention of the wheel’ at the
end-user location. With an increas-
the speakers’ presentations. Dr. Wersinger led his presentation ing emphasis on social housing, this
speaker highlighted the efforts that
by defining the German word for are applied at a vendor location to
support laboratory housing location:
Studies on rat empathy: “unwelt” as thinking about (the keeping animals in normal social
structures and exposed to environ-
implications for animal husbandry animals’) sensory experience. He mental enrichment in response to
undesirable behaviors.
Peggy Mason, University of Chicago gave examples of how the environ-

In rats, empathy develops from the ment can have an effect upon behavior

dam understanding what pups need and physiology. For instance, taking

and researchers theorize this is the a rubber stopper off a tube can be

beginning of empathetic behavior. The perceived by some species that hear

question posed by Dr. Mason is: Can in the ultrasound range as a very loud

a rat feel the distress of another and noise. There is no consensus defini-

can a rat do something about it? Her tion of what defines an animal’s social

study paradigm was to observe if a behavior and he encouraged the

free rat would liberate a trapped rat. audience to think of social behavior as

Her studies found that helping anoth- an art or a concept. The environment

er rat in distress is a biological man- influences social behavior and

date and that not helping requires he demonstrated several examples

suppression of this biological inclina- of how the social isolation can

tion. The implications upon husbandry negatively affect social behavior.

routines should be considered, since

witnessing the restraint of a rat is a Monkey emotion: theoretical
clear stressor to the other animals. and practical approaches to
understanding animal well-being

Eliza Bliss-Moreau, UCDavis

In this presentation, what makes

9WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Article Dennis Meredith, Science Writer, Editor, Consultant

Explaining Enrichment Engagingly

As a fellow advocate for enrichment in that the enriched animals end up oddly enough, from the Obama
I know well the powerful advantages having fewer pathologies, which can presidential campaign. He was
it offers both animal care and l ower veterinary costs.” falsely accused of being a
animal research. And so I feel the Frame the issues. A related Muslim, but social scientists
same frustration you do when technique is to “frame” the aiding his campaign advised him
I encounter those who dismiss discussion with people who oppose not to deny it, but rather affirm
enrichment as a trivial or non- enrichment in a way that resonates by statement and deed that he is
productive endeavor. with their values. For example, a Christian. For example, he would
rather than framing an enrichment end his speeches with “God bless
However, as a long-time research discussion as “improving animal America,” and his campaign made
communicator, I’ve developed welfare,” you would emphasize sure there was coverage of his
strategies that you can use to “achieving an optimal research church attendance. It worked, and
overcome such resistance. Here are environment to promote the best the accusation faded from the
some of the most useful precepts research.” public discussion.
I’ve followed, based on my
experience, and drawn from This frame might include rais- In the case of enrichment,
my book Explaining Research. ing the question: “Is an animal a a negative charge might be
valid scientific model if it exists in a “You just want to throw some toys
Acknowledge, don’t argue. stressful, unnatural environment?” in the cage.” Rather than deny that,
It’s tempting and natural to become Another question might be “Given you might positively discuss the
adversarial when you encounter, the fact it’s not possible to antici- multiple components of enrichment,
say, an old-line vet who’s dead set pate as-yet-unknown future experi- including providing bedding, social
against enrichment, claiming that it ments with an animal model, isn’t interaction, and food variety that
interferes with cost-effective animal it wisest to maintain them in an an animal care professional would
care. A better strategy is to take optimal behavioral environment?” likely agree are valid additions to
time to acknowledge those beliefs, After all, such factors as stress and an environment.
even reciting their own arguments unnatural environments are proven
that favor their position. Then to have developmental, physiologi- Cite authority. Those who
you’ve set the stage for a more cal and behavioral impacts. Future minimize the significance of
benign “transformative explana- experimental protocols may depend enrichment can hardly take issue
tion,” as one of my communicator on observing normal nest-building, with its endorsement in the
c olleagues terms it. exploration, foraging and other latest edition of the Institute for
For example, you’d say something behaviors. Laboratory Animal Research Guide.
like, “Yes, I can understand how en- The Guide cites studies in mice that
richment has been seen as adding Accentuate the positives. indicate “housing conditions can
to the budget and requiring more When faced with a negative charge, be enriched without compromising
time for technicians. That’s an issue your first inclination is to deny it. the precision or reproducibility of
we’ve addressed, too.” But then But the best strategy is not to deny, experimental results,” and states
you can proceed to say “Those are but to confirm a competing positive that “it has been shown that
certainly valid concerns. But what idea. A denial only works in conditions resulting in higher-stress
we’ve seen is that labs that launch the short term, and people still reactivity increase variation in
the programs have seen advantages remember the negative. The best experimental data. Because
example of this strategy comes, adequate environmental
10 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

enrichment may reduce anxiety about an aroma switches on the its responsibility to foster the best
and stress reactivity…it may also olfactory cortex. These studies re- possible science.
contribute to higher test sensitivity vealed that your audience is “build-
and reduced animal use.” ing” a minds-eye model of your References:
story in their brains. You’re engag-
Besides these general communication ing their imagination. Nisbet, Matthew C., and Mooney, Chris,
strategies, there are also specific “Framing Science,” Science, April 6, 2007,
techniques that help you persuasively In the end, your strategy with all Vol. 316 no 5821, p 56 (subscription required)
tell the story of enrichment’s value: these techniques is to emphatically
convey the message that enrich- Academic ‘Dream Team’ Helped Obama’s Effort
Show quality visuals. Simply ment is an accepted, integral com- http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/health/
using text, charts, diagrams and ponent of quality lab animal care. dream-team-of-behavioral-scientists-advised-
drawings to depict doesn’t engage And any facility that has not imple- obama-campaign.html?pagewanted=all
the brain’s powerful visual process- mented enrichment is neglecting
ing machinery. Always try to accom- Paul, Annie Murphy, “Your Brain on Fiction,”
pany any article or talk with quality New York Times, March 17, 2012
photos and video of enrichment in http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/
action. If possible, hire a profes- sunday/the-neuroscience-of-your-brain-on-
sional photographer or videographer fiction.html?pagewanted=all
to make the visuals most compelling
and attractive. Even stock photos Dennis Meredith’s career as a science communicator has included service
help. When you’re talking about
enrichment for a particular species, at some of the country’s leading research universities, including MIT, Caltech,
show images or video of that spe- Cornell, Duke and the University of Wisconsin. He has worked with science
cies, even if they don’t portray the journalists at all the nation’s major newspapers, magazines, and radio and
animals you’re talking about. TV networks, written well over a thousand news releases and magazine articles,
was a creator and developer of EurekAlert!, working with AAAS to establish an
Tell stories. When you write or international research news service, which now links more than 4,500 journalists
talk about enrichment, don’t just to news from 800 subscribing research institutions, and is the author of:
communicate in the abstract. Tell Explaining Research—Communication tools are as essential to your research
anecdotes about labs that launched
enrichment programs and that as your instrument book
achieved successes. And make
those stories vividly descriptive, Research success depends not only on conducting incisive
concrete, and personal. experiments and publishing in top journals but on explaining a
Neurological studies have researcher’s work clearly and engagingly to important audiences:
shown that such stories engage colleagues, potential collaborators in other disciplines, officers in
audiences on more than an
intellectual level. MRI scans funding agencies and foundations, donors, institutional leaders,
of people reading stories have corporate partners, students, legislators, family and friends,
found that the stories activate journalists, and the public. Explaining Research, published
brain regions associated with the by Oxford University Press, is a comprehensive guidebook
story’s content. For example, describing tools and techniques for scientists, researchers and
reading about action switches
on the motor cortex; reading engineers to reach all these audiences effectively.

His next book, The Rainbow Virus, a science fiction adventure,
will be published in January.

Explaining Research: http://www.ExplainingResearch.com
Novels: http://www.DennisMeredith.com
Blog: http://www.ResearchExplainer.com
The Rainbow Virus: http://dennismeredith.com/the-rainbow-virus_404.html
E-mail: [email protected]

11WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Article Sara Miller, RLAT, Animal Technician II

Washington State University

Environmental Enrichment for Xenopus Iaevis

Environmental enrichment has and spit them back out. We then entered the room. A couple of the
become an important aspect of tried bigger colored rocks which frogs have even started to eat
animal care in research facilities they liked to play with, but kibbles out of the tech’s fingers
over the years. It is easy to come eventually ignored. when being fed which they would
up with enrichment for mice, rats, never do before the plant enrich-
and other mammals; however, what Looking for better ideas, we came ment. We interpreted this to mean
do you get for enrichment for across floating plastic plants and the frogs felt safer and were willing
aquatics such as Xenopus? This is squares of plastic plants that sat on to interact more with animal care
the question we were trying to the bottom of the cage. We checked staff.
answer at our Vivarium. carefully to make sure there were
no sharp edges the frogs could cut Our next step was to find a food
We tried to think of things a themselves on, and nothing about enrichment of some kind we could
Xenopus would have in their the plastic that could harm our feed once a week to enhance their
natural environment, but would frogs in any way. We noted obvious natural hunting skills. We tried
also be practical in a controlled lab changes in the behavior of the frogs 2 different types of food enrichment,
setting. First we started with rocks. after adding the plants to the tanks. frozen blood worms and live
We found that the frogs liked to hide The frogs changed from always crickets.
in the rocks, but when they would hanging out in the back of their cage
kick up food along the bottom they to coming up to the front wanting The frogs readily eat the blood
would get the rocks in their mouth food from the technicians as they worms and seem to enjoy them.
Some would eat the whole frozen
12 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

block at once, some would wait until
it was thawed and then scurry around
the bottom scooping them into their
mouth and others would wait until the
tech left and eat all their blood worms.
No matter the case, there were never
any bloodworms left in the cage when
we came in the next day to change
the room. We even have one frog that
gets so excited for food that she will
eat the blood worms straight out of
the container. You have to be cautious
of them eating out of the container so
they don’t get a hold of the plastic and
try to eat it too!

The crickets we found to be a little
more challenging. Crickets are difficult
to get out of the cage to put in with
the frogs and not have them jumping
out. The last thing we want are loose
crickets in our Vivarium. They were
also difficult to feed to the frogs. If you
try to hold the crickets with tweezers,
you run the risk of potentially injuring
the frog. Crickets don’t drown easy and
could possibly get out of the frog cage
depending on the setup. Most of our
frogs did not pay attention to the top
of the water so they didn’t see any
crickets floating on top.

All in all, we did manage to find
environmental enrichment for our
frogs that they loved. With the plants
there is a noticeable difference in their
behavior and how they interact with
the technicians. The blood worms are
just an added bonus treat they get
once a week. This just goes to show
that no matter the animal, there is
some type of environmental enrich-
ment to improve their life in a lab
setting.

13WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Article Sara Savage, D.V.M.
Associate Director, Comparative Medicine, Genzyme Corporation, a Sanofi Company

Kidding Around in the Laboratory Animal Facility—
Goat Enrichment

Goat enrichment can be incredibly
rewarding, not only for the goat,
but for personnel as well. In our
facility, we often refer to goat
enrichment tasks as technician
(or vet!) enrichment. Somewhere
in the evolutionary development
of Capra hircus, curiosity and play
drive emerged as positive forces for
survival, and this is in evidence in
the domesticated laboratory animal
as well as in wild goats.

Goats used in laboratory animal
medicine are most commonly meat
or milk breeds, often culled from
livestock herds, and not usually

bred specifically for research.
As a result, their individual
behavior in response to hu-
mans will most often reflect
handling practices within the
herd of origin.
However, much of the
behavior of the domes-
tic goat reflects that of
the wild goat. Goats
flee to escape preda-
tors, and will flee
from human contact
if feeling threatened.
Goats are browsers in
nature, and investigate
their world through oral

contact, mouthing what they can,
and subsequently eating or
rejecting items. Smell is also an
important sensory input to goats,
and a goat may sniff a food item
and reject it without mouthing.

14 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Goats will greet each other by use toys made from hard metals food treats inside them, will be
sniffing mouths and noses, and and unbreakable plastics materials batted around for hours. If possible,
frequently attempt to interact to avoid consumption of pieces of put toys at all different height
with humans the same way. Due toys. For auditory and oral sensory levels. Goats will stand on their
to the potential for zoonotic trans- stimulation, try hanging unbreak- hind legs to investigate bottles
mission of pox virus (soremouth), able metal toys or hard rubber dog/ hung on ropes from the ceiling, or
this should be discouraged. pig toys from pen doors or walls to get down on their knees to work on
(No kissing the goats.) provide opportunities for mouthing items attached to gates and walls at
and noise making. Many goats will low levels. Toys do not have to be
As befits browsers, goats are shake toys, banging them against attached to anything to be useful:
excellent climbers, and explore their surface, often rubbing the toys up clean empty water cooler bottles
environment on more than one and down on bars and flipping them or milk jugs with small amounts
level, also using height advantage around with their noses to produce of grain, crumbled gingersnaps,
to establish dominance. Goats are quite a racket. Metal bucket handles peanuts (in the shell, unsalted)
hierarchical herd animals, estab- can be removed from the bucket or other small pieces of fruits and
lishing structure through familial and attached to fences to provide vegetables are a favorite. Goats
relationships in a herd, and play and more items to bang—but be cer- learn to tip and roll them to obtain
fighting, and will engage in social tain to use handles that the goats treats—and then may continue to
grooming. Fighting behavior, or cannot get their heads through. throw around and try to climb on
head butting, can be intense in close Empty paper bedding bags (staples the empty containers for hours at
confines. Goats of higher status will removed) and cardboard boxes will a time. Try placing small amounts
bully others, and not hesitate to be mouthed, torn, stepped on, laid of hay in hay nets hung from walls
pursue and head butt lower status upon, hidden behind, and dragged at or above head level on all sides
animals to control movements and around. Watch carefully to ensure of the pan to encourage browsing
access to feed within a herd. But the that goats do not eat paper items like feeding behavior. Similarly, for
social nature of goats truly demands —some animals will, though small goats who destroy hay nets, try
that they not be kept alone. Goats amounts are generally tolerated stuffing hay in ‘squirrel proof’
require housing with other animals well. type cylinders or spheres used to
—if not in a herd, then within sight surround bird feeders—the small
and sound of other goats or sheep. Dog and horse toys, specifically holes will encourage the goats
Domestication has resulted in ani- designed to stimulate foraging be- to work at pulling out the hay
mals who are generally very tame, havior with slowly released treats, for hours. A bale of hay or straw
amenable to handling, very trainable can be used with goats as well. bound with a nontoxic twine placed
and who enjoy being groomed. But foraging toys can also be very into the pen will stimulate feeding
cheaply made. PVC pipe pieces behavior as the goats try to break
Expect goats to mouth all objects drilled with holes to insert food ob- it apart. And, the goats will spend
put into their pens or stalls. Multiple jects are popular with some goats. a great deal of time jumping on
species enjoy toys, and goats are Large clean plastic jugs (such as and off the bales. Because domi-
no exception. Plan to move toys used laundry detergent bottles) can nant animals will guard attractive
on a weekly or biweekly basis to be substituted, and, even without
stimulate investigative behavior, and continued on page 16

15WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Goat Enrichment continued from page 15

food sources, be certain to provide Shy animals will hide behind or References
multiple enrichment items at a time place furniture in between them-
for group housed animals to avoid selves and humans to decrease Aschwanden, J, Gygax, L, Wechsler, B and
increasing social stress. anxiety when approached, or when Keil, NM. (2009) Loose housing of small goat
cleaning occurs. Furniture provides groups: Influence of visual cover and elevated
A healthy goat is an active goat. opportunity for grooming as well. levels on feeding, resting and agonistic
It is important to provide ample Hang clean plastic scrub brushes, behavior. Applied Animal Behaviour Science
opportunity for exercise. Give as broom heads (some goats will try 119: 3, 171-179.
much room to the animals as to eat these), or specially made
possible, and, if possible, house ‘scratch boards’ (hard plastic boards Boe, KE, Ehrlenbruch, R, Anderson, IL.
goats with access to outdoor with short bristles, marketed for Outside enclosure and additional enrichment
enclosures. Group housed animals horses and livestock) from walls and for dairy goats—a preliminary study.
will play king of the mountain and gates to encourage goats to engage Acta Vet Scand. 2012 Nov 22;54(1):68.
fight over milking stands, plastic in comfort behaviors of scratching Epub ahead of print.
stools or steps placed into enclo- and self-grooming.
sures. In small pens, try placing Flint, M and Murray, PJ (2001)
a half-barrel or upside down bucket Contact with humans can be a Lot-fed goats—the advantages of using an
in the pen. Wooden packing crates very valuable form of enrichment. enriched environment. Australian Journal
and wire spools make inexpensive Goats are easily trained with of Experimental Agriculture, 41 4: 473-476.
toys as well, although there is the positive reinforcement. This can
potential for toxic materials to take the form of a food reward Sherman, D and Smith M. Goat Medicine.
remain in the wood. A simply made (we use cereal, cookies, nuts and Philadelphia; Lea and Febiger, 1994.
balance beam—an untreated, but grapes) or grooming reward.
disinfected 6 foot long 2x4 placed Just as with pigs, dogs or monkeys, Personal experience.
in between two bales of hay or shaping behaviors through positive
concrete blocks provides an reinforcement decreases stress,
inexpensive climbing structure. increases productivity and ease
Better yet, old childrens’ plastic of performing procedures on
play huts, play houses, teeter animals, and reinforces ethical
totters, or slides (all of which can animal treatment. For example,
be easily disinfected) will be used training goats to run to a scale and
regularly. If space is limited, take jump on for weekly weights with
goats for walks in hallways on a gingersnaps, or to jump onto a
daily basis to encourage activity and milking stand for blood draws by
condition animals to human contact. providing a bucket of grain, is easily
accomplished in just a few training
The use of ‘furniture’ in the pen sessions in most cases. Two zoos
is not limited to exercise. By break- have recently even taught goats
ing up the spaces in the pen with to paint using positive reinforce-
visual barriers, social structure can ment techniques. And, the positive
be influenced. Bullying behavior is reinforcement provided by
often decreased, with lower ranked interaction with a healthy,
animals given an opportunity to normally behaving goat is good
escape others behind pen furniture. for technicians and scientists alike.

16 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Article Gregory Johnson, B.A., LATG

Oregon National Primate Research Center
Department of Comparative Medicine, Behavioral Services Unit

Doggy Doors for Macaque Dam/Infant Pairs

At the Oregon National Primate and touch each other without being to be fed or medicated on one side
Research Center, we have a able to move from cage to cage, or of the cage without the dam being
substantial population of breeding can be removed altogether. able to get the food or medication.
non-human primates, mostly At the same time, the infant can go
rhesus and Japanese macaques. We have made a slide we call a to its dam at any time. We used a
While most of our animals live in “doggy door.” We cut a doorway in jigsaw to cut the plastic. Because
small groups, we do occasionally a ¼” Plexiglas cage divider, which the friction of the blade will even-
need to house dams and infants in came from caging we no longer tually melt the plastic, rather than
cages either due to injury or illness, use, but fits our current caging. cut it, we had to go slowly, a couple
or to have a procedure. In other The doorway is an arched “mouse inches at a time. The rough edges
cases, infants need to be separated hole” shaped opening, about 6” were then filed off.
from their dams in their home cages tall by 4” wide, small enough that
for illness or injury. The reasoning the infant can move to either side When we initially introduced the
for this decision is so that the dams of the cage, but prevents the dam slide to our first dam/ infant pair,
do not eat the diet or medication from doing so. The slide is clear, we were not sure whether the
intended for the infant. However, so the dam and infant can see each infant would leave its mother to get
this can add stress to both the other, which is important because food placed in a pan on the other
infant and the mother. We have it allows the dam to maintain side, but it readily went to the other
found this to be especially true constant visual contact with her side of the cage to eat its diet.
with Japanese macaques. The stress infant. The slide allows the infant
from this separation can exacerbate 17WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD
the medical problem which
prompted the separation in the
first place. Further, for animals on
research protocols, this added stress
can also affect study results.
We have come up with a simple
solution which allows the infant to
spend time with its dam in the cage,
and also allows it an area where it
can get to its medication or special
diet.

Where separation is necessary,
we utilize “doggy doors.” Dam/infant
pairs are housed in double cages,
per USDA rules. These are two
4.5 cubic meter cages placed next
to each other with the joining walls
removed and a removable slide
placed between them. This slide
can either be solid steel, a mesh
steel slide, or a grooming contact
slide, which allows animals to groom

Article Xiangwei Wang

Shanghai Servanimal Bio-tech Inc.

Environmental Enrichment in Chinese Research Facilities

The phrase “Environmental environmental enrichment, the and videotapes have appeared in
enrichment (EE)” is defined in physiological and psychological some canine and primate facilities.
many ways. As early as 1925, needs of the research animals Some facilities provide canines
Robert Yerkes introduced the are taken into account when the with a common playground where
concept, saying: “The greatest facility is designed and the manage- the animals have the freedom to
possibility for improvement in our ment program for animal housing get out of primary enclosures and
provision for captive primates lies and handing is prepared. Over the move around for a half-hour of
with the invention and installation years, there have been substantial daily exercise.
of apparatus, which can be used efforts to improve the housing
for play or work.” However, environ- conditions of laboratory animals. The importance of animal-animal
mental enrichment has only recently and animal-human interactions is
become a popular topic in laboratory The first item introduced to being recognized. Research techni-
animal facilities in China. Progress research facilities was the perch cians understand that the positive
is largely due to the increasing for non-human primates, which was relationships that develop between
international collaboration of new followed by the stainless steel facility personnel and laboratory
drug discovery and development mirror. Primates are no longer animals may result in an overall
between China and western coun- housed in barren living quarters in reduction in stress for the animals
tries. With more and more research the majority of research laborato- and may serve to buffer the
projects being outsourced to China, ries. Sensory enrichment such potential stress of certain experi-
and an increasing number of facilities as television, background music, mental situations resulting from
getting AAALAC accreditation, the the novelty of the procedure area,
environment of laboratory animals disease conditions, or certain
is being enhanced. This article experimental procedures.
tracks the progress of environmental Conversely, they are beginning
enrichment in China’s laboratory to see that rough handing is
animal facilities. stressful for animals. Canines
and non-human primates recognize
Investigators who use animals in individuals and become frightened
biomedical and behavioral research of those who handle them
have an obligation not only to aggressively.
conduct high-quality research but
also to promote the health and Recently, the boom in drug
well-being of their animal subjects. discovery and development in
“Regulations for the Administration China has accelerated animal study
of Affairs Concerning Experimental technology as well as animal
Animals (RAACEA),” China’s first welfare protection. The impetus
legislation for the research animals, comes from the global pharma-
was issued by the State Council in ceutical companies establishing
1988. It regulates the basic animal R&D centers in China. Equally
welfare protection standards such as important, thousands of Chinese
facility construction, diet, drinking researchers who have been trained
water, housing space, microbiology, abroad are returning with state-
nutrition, etc. Although there is little of-the-art research techniques
description in RAACEA about grounded by the concept of

18 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

humane treatment of animal complexity of the animal’s creatures that need compatible
subjects. Importantly, more enclosure or adding accessories companions for emotional well-being
researchers and management to the enclosure such as objects, and behavioral health, are suffering
are adopting international substrate, or permanent structures from boredom and depression in a
standards and best practices. (e.g., perches, nest boxes, monotonous, relatively unchanging
In 2005. the laboratory animal bio-huts, etc.). environment. Rodents are social
facility of Nanjing Medical Univer- 4. Sensory enrichment, or stimuli animals too; however, in some
sity School of Public Health was the that are visual (e.g., television), toxicity studies, they are singly
first research facility accredited by auditory (music), or in other housed without even bedding in the
AAALAC in China. By end of 2011, modalities (e.g., olfactory, tactile, cage. Reasons for such deficiency
the number increased to 36, and taste). can be summarized as following,
more than 50 other facilities are 5. Nutritional enrichment, which 1. Lack of local regulations governing
applying or have a plan to apply can involve either providing environmental enrichment for
as soon as possible. International varied or novel food types or laboratory animals in China.
conferences and training programs changing the method of food 2. Lack of management support.
are increasingly relevant to im- delivery (e.g., vegebites, Facility management does not
proving laboratory animal welfare. sunflower feeds). routinely consider housing
Exposure to programs like the conditions and other animal
AALAS Learning Library and GR8’s The IACUC plays an increasingly welfare issues. The budget for
introductory course in laboratory important role as environmental laboratory animal husbandry is
animal care and use motivates enrichment is introduced into always inadequate.
technicians to pursue a career path a facility. They are developing 3. Lack of adequate training. Animal
in a profession that is young but standard operating procedures welfare training lags behind the
highly promising in China. Both the (SOPs) detailing every aspect of advance of the facility construction
animals and the people engaged in the process from choosing the and research capability growth.
research are benefitting. appropriate device to evaluating 4. The lack of data tracking
its impact on the animals and enrichment usage in Chinese
Today in China research facili- the science. Studies are being local facilities.
ties support 5 kinds of enrichment conducted to evaluate the animals’
programs: physiological and psychological Serious efforts are being made
1. Social enrichment, which can status with and without EE, and to overcome these challenges.
involve either direct or indirect findings are being published. Documentation of enrichment
(visual, olfactory, auditory) usage is accumulating, and more
contact with conspecifics (other Although progress has been made researchers are realizing the benefits
individuals of the same species) in the last decade, there is still of using enrichments to promote
or humans. a long way to go to improve the animal welfare and advance science.
2. Occupational enrichment, which housing environment of research As more researchers are exposed to
encompasses both psychological animals in China. For instance, in environmental enrichment, we can
enrichment (e.g., devices that some of primate facilities, cages expect a dramatic improvement in
provide animals with control or are stacked on top of each other research animal welfare and in the
challenges) and enrichment that in double-tiers to accommodate a husbandry environment as well.
encourages exercise. maximum number of animals in
3. Physical enrichment, which can windowless rooms. Non-human Author’s email:
involve altering the size or primates, intelligent and social [email protected]

19WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Enriching Profile Introducing...

Szczepan Baran, V.M.D., MS

President and Chief Operating Officer, Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI), Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC
Director, Online Laboratory Animal Sciences BioConference Live
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Course Director, Online Masters in Laboratory Animal Science, Adjunct Professor, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Director at Large, Academy of Surgical Research
Member, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute’s Document Development Committee
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology
Member, Development Team, Labroots, LLC

Environmental Enrichment plays a significant Professor, author, researcher, trailblazer, gifted facilitator,
role in research because it is important to dedicated volunteer and skilled rough-houser, Szczepan
eliminate the non-experimental variables, Baran has over a decade of experience in the field of
variables such as stress that can potentially laboratory animal medicine and research. During this time,
impact our studies. To do that, we need he has facilitated the development of numerous surgical
to provide the best possible species-typical and biomethodology training programs in academia and
environment.—Szczepan Baran industry, encompassing numerous species. An important
goal is to provide an environment that leads to less stress
20 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD and consequently better results, ultimately increasing
animal welfare and decreasing the number of animals
in a study.

Dr. Baran earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal
Science from the University of Delaware, a Veterinary
Medical Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania
and a Master of Science degree from the University of
Washington. As a student at the University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine, he was inspired by faculty
member Harry Rozmiarek, DVM, Ph.D., DACLAM, currently
Director and Attending Veterinarian, Fox Chase Cancer
Center Laboratory Animal Facility, and Laura Conour, DVM,
DACLAM, Director, Laboratory Animal Resources, Princeton
University, whom he met while serving an externship
at GlaxoSmithKline.

Dr. Baran’s research interests include embryonic stem
cells, the development and validation of online surgical
training programs, and the development and validation
of rodent laparoscopic procedures. He established a
freezing protocol for Nonhuman Primate Embryonic Stem
cells, which has increased their survival from 5% to over
90%. Additionally, he was a contributing team member
in the development of one of the first canine embryonic
stem cell lines and has pioneered new territory by
demonstrating the effectiveness of online surgical training
in the laboratory animal medicine field.

Current work centers on the refinement and development
of gastrointestinal and laparoscopic rodent procedures and
the development and implementation of surgical efficiency
and surgical competency and proficiency assessment

programs. He has also demonstrated meet regulatory and industry Under the leadership of Dr. Baran,
various refinements, which have led regulations and fulfill continuing VBI is revolutionizing the standards
to increasing rodent surgical pro- education requirements. of surgical excellence and continuing
cedure efficiencies. As of October education for the biomedical
2012, he has published or contrib- Beyond training, VBI has devel- community.
uted to over 25 papers and abstracts oped a unique, comprehensive and http://www.vetbiotech.com/
and one book chapter, and has objective competency assessment
delivered approximately 75 special program and related scoring system Thoughts on the Future
presentations at various academic that is an adaptation for the of Environmental Enrichment
institutions, and national and biomedical community of the The future looks great. Until recently
international meetings. Dr. Baran validated system used in human there was very little data. Now, the
serves as a consultant to the medicine and surgery. In addition, field is growing and environmental
biotechnology industry and other VBI is the first educator for the enrichment is something everyone
institutions of higher education, biomedical community that is talking about.
and has served as reviewer of successfully utilizes a validated
several journals and book chapters. human model for knowledge trans- At many institutions, when an
Currently, he is writing a rodent fer: online surgical training followed enrichment program is in place,
laparoscopy and colonoscopy book, by hands-on training. The company’s the investigator has to show why
which will be the first one of its kind. comprehensive approach results in an enrichment device should be
more competent surgeons, better eliminated. This policy is the
On the side, for the past three years, surgical outcomes, improved animal opposite of a couple years back,
he has studied micro facial expres- welfare and better scientific data. when you had to show why it should
sions, which can be incorporated into be implemented. That’s fantastic!
any type of interview and assist with Originally headquartered in
decoding the candidate. Harleysville, PA, VBI recently In addition, meeting or seminar space
partnered with Preclinical Surgical on environmental enrichment sells out
Mission Services (PSS) at Wake Forest immediately, demonstrating there is
Implementation of the three Rs Baptist Medical Center’s Office much in interest in this topic.
(Replacement, Reduction, of Research to produce educational
Refinement) into Laboratory materials for veterinary and I first became aware of Szczepan
Animal Sciences Education and biomedical personnel and institu- at a LAWTE meeting where the
Training to improve animal tions. Surgeons and staff members quality of his materials caught
welfare and research. from PSS and resources such as my eye. When we finally met in
surgical suites, imaging services person, all the positive qualities
A leading provider of cost-effective and laparoscopic training facilities I saw in his brochures came
and highly efficient Internet-based will be featured in instructional to life: dedication to the highest
technical and surgical-methodology videos and other products that will standards of laboratory animal
resources, VBI, established in 2008, be developed, produced, marketed welfare; professionalism;
is an innovative company that is and distributed by VBI. In addition, enthusiasm for teaching and
changing the future of experimental the PSS-VBI collaborations will helping others to improve their
surgery and veterinary training. include online courses, webinars skills; and a passion for expanding
Specializing in the art and science and seminars for clinical and the community of caring and
of surgery and bioethics while research veterinarians, biomedical compliance. Szczepan is one
emphasizing the responsible use research faculty and technicians, of our brightest and best, and we
of animals, VBI provides online and and instructors and students in are lucky to count him among
hands-on surgical and biomethodol- pre-veterinary, veterinary and the emerging young leaders of
ogy training to the global research veterinary technician programs. the animal research community.
community. VBI’s training programs
VBI is dedicated to raising the bar —Jayne Mackta, President/ CEO,
on continuing education standards Global Research Education and Training, LLC (GR8)
and implementing the three Rs.
21WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Article

Enrichment Record Poster Repository

In 2010, Szczepan Baran, President and Chief Operating Officer POSTER ABSTRACTS
of the Veterinary Bioscience Institute (VBI) and Jayne Mackta,
Publisher of The Enrichment Record and President & CEO of Developing an Institutional Enrichment
Global Research Education & Training, LLC (GR8) perceived the Program
need in the Laboratory Animal Science community to expand Joleen K. Adams, DVM, Chris L. Carter, LVT, LATG,
communication to a broader audience. Jane C. Czarra LATG, William A. Hill, DVM, MPH,
DACLAM and Patricia N. Coan, DVM, PhD, DACLAM
To meet this need, The Enrichment Record, together with VBI, Office of Laboratory Animal Care,
introduced the Enrichment Record Poster Repository, an University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
open access repository that provides a structured and safe
environment for the deposition of enrichment posters and Providing an enriched environment with which
abstracts. the animal can interact is a critical component
of our institution’s animal care and use program.
Often, enrichment information presented as posters at The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory
conferences is not published and is lost once a conference is Animals states that “the primary aim of
over. If it is published, it is published at a much later date. environmental enrichment is to enhance animal
This repository provides Laboratory Animal Science community well-being by providing animals with sensory
members with access to early enrichment information presented and motor stimulation, through structures and
at conferences while allowing authors to maximize the value resources that facilitate the expression of
of their posters by dramatically increasing availability and by species typical behaviors and promote psychologic
helping to prevent lengthy delays before others can benefit well-being.” In accordance with recommendations
from their new enrichment research. set forth in the eighth edition of the Guide, a main
objective of our enrichment program is to afford
The Enrichment Record Poster Repository is subdivided the expression of appropriate species-specific
into categories by species, making it easy to locate information behaviors by our research and teaching animals.
for the viewer. Group-housing methods are the default method
of housing our social species. Rodents are
The submission process is simple and has safeguards in place encouraged to engage in foraging and nest
to ensure applicability and maintain quality standards. After a building behaviors. Our dogs and cats are provided
poster is submitted, there is a 24-hour delay, which allows time with manipulanda that encourage physical and/
for review of submitted information to confirm that it is or mental activity. Items used for enrichment are
appropriate for the site. also on a rotation schedule in order to ensure the
novelty of the enrichment item. As with any aspect
The Enrichment Record Poster Repository is an open access of the animal care and use program, there is
repository, meaning that anyone will be able to view these a balance between animal welfare and the needs
posters. We believe open access promotes transparency and of research, a principal that applies to environ-
supports outreach efforts that help educate both internal and mental enrichment as well. The Guide reiterates
external audiences. Sharing is the optimal way to distribute this principle in recommending that the enrichment
information to the Laboratory Animal Science community and program be reviewed by the IACUC, researchers,
beyond. You can post anonymously as long as you provide and veterinarian. We adopted this approach in
your authorship information to The Enrichment Record. the development of our revised environmental
enrichment program. The Office of Laboratory
We are looking forward to your submissions and feedback. Animal Care in conjunction with animal care staff
and management developed by SOP for environ-
Visit the site: http://www.vetbiotech.com/posters2.php mental enrichment for our research and teaching
animals. These SOP were then distributed to
22 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD investigators for review and comment before being
sent to the Animal Care and Use Committee for
further discussion and final institutional approval.
Having all those who have a stake in the animal
care and use program provide input in the
enrichment program helps ensure that the
enrichment strategies employed are both beneficial
for animal well-being and consistent with the goal
of animal use.

Staff-Directed Environmental as rooting and foraging. One of the ways working at our institution. By enriching
Enrichment Program to achieve this goal for swine is to place the lives of our animals, we strive for
K. Koszdin, C. Pekow, SL Carey, food enrichment into a foraging ball— sound science. Minimizing any stress our
P. Davis, K. Hamilton, A. Porter, a hard, hollow, plastic toy which has animals experience helps to keep the
H. Dang, C. Domingo, B.Villanueva, pre-drilled holes in it to engage the animals in good health, producing
T. Tran, J. Shuffer swine in removing the food. Many of better research models.
Animal Research Facility, Veterans the commercially available foraging
Affairs Puget Sound Health Care balls for swine have multiple small holes Audio-Visual Enrichment
System, Seattle, WA throughout the surface. This requires Preferences Noted in Captive
the use of small food items, which poses Cynomologous Monkeys
The eighth-edition of the Guide for the problem of food falling through the (Macaca fasciculari)
the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals grated, elevated flooring that swine are B. BoWell, A. Ferraro, R. Strittmatter,
states that the IACUC, researchers, housed on in our facility. There are also D. Tiano
veterinarians, and animal care person- commercially available foraging balls Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals,
nel should be involved in reviewing that have few extremely large holes in Ridgefield, CT
and evaluating the institution’s the surface, and in our experience, they
environmental enrichment program. do not present enough of a challenge One of the more commonly used forms
Our IACUC annually reviews the for the swine. In an effort to provide of environmental enrichment for labora-
enrichment SOP; however, we wanted the best possible enrichment for our tory nonhuman primates (NHP) is the
to actively include our animal care staff swine, we created customized foraging provision of audio and visual stimuli in
in planning and evaluating our balls from herding balls—a hard, hollow, the form of animated or live action video
environmental enrichment program. plastic ball with no holes. The herding programming. Studies have demon-
We had our staff complete an online balls were customized by drilling, varying strated that NHPs prefer to watch video
environmental enrichment training size and numbers of holes. This allowed programming rather than be exposed
course in addition to courses on the larger food enrichment choices, which to nothing at all. However, much is still
behavioral biology of each species we would not fall through the flooring, but unknown about this form of enrichment.
house. Staff members volunteered to still provided a challenge for the At our facility we have a robust
write environmental enrichment SOP for animals. The swine were observed enrichment program that includes the
the various species housed. Staff then playing and investigating the foraging use of CDs and DVDs. We show a variety
devised a schedule to rotate enrichment balls for longer periods of time, of DVDs; however, preference for certain
objects in animal rooms to vary the approximately 30 to 45 min while there types of programming has not been
type of enrichment the animals received was food in the ball. These customized previously demonstrated. We monitored
with each cage change. Staff members foraging balls create a more challenging our colony to determine if any
also developed a checklist to complete experience for our swine, thus extending preferences or adverse reactions to
each time they changed cages, to eval- playtime and providing a better various types of programming could be
uate the use of each enrichment object enrichment experience in our facilities. detected. DVDs were chosen from our
by the animals. On the sheet, they note collection at random. Observations were
which environmental enrichment object New Hire Training and made on 7 to 8 NHP (Macaca fascicularis)
is in the cage, the species and strain of Environmental Enrichment per session, depending on availability,
animals in the cage and if animals are Building the Foundation using scan sampling at time intervals
using the object in a species-specific for a Lifelong Commitment of 3 min following an initial assessment
manner. We review these check-off Michael Savidge for baseline behavior and an acclimation
sheets on a regular basis to assess the Huntingdon Life Sciences, East Millstone, NJ to the presence of the observer in the
effects of our environmental enrichment room. A total of 27 DVDs, including
plan to animal well-being. In addition, Enrichment is of paramount importance 12 live action DVDs, 12 animated DVDs,
the investigators communicate regularly in work involving animals, which should and 3 DVDs with a mixture of live
with our staff about which enrichment not be a surprise to anyone working in a action and animation were assessed.
objects are acceptable for their study laboratory animal environment. Present- Preferences did not appear to have a sex
animals. These activities ensure that ing an animal with a treat reward or a or age predilection. There was a clear
our animal care staff participates in an pat on the head and a reassuring “good preference for live action or the mixture
ongoing process to review and evaluate dog” go a long way in strengthening the of live action/animation over animated
our environmental enrichment program. bond between technician and animal. DVDs. Of the top 50% of DVDs that
But how can we ensure that newly hired held the NHP interest, only 2 were fully
Refinement of Swine individuals are aware of the importance animated. Interestingly, the 3 mixed
Enrichment via Customization of providing enrichment? The approach DVDs (which are aimed at toddlers or
of Foraging Balls Results in used by our institution is to educate new very young children) all ranked in the
Increased Duration of Play hires in the benefits of enrichment and top 5. Anecdotally, it was also noted
Rebecca Glock, Shannon R Balser, couple all technical– and husbandry- that some animals with a history of
Stephanie Lewis related training with enrichment training. exhibiting stereotypic behavior decreased
University Laboratory Animal Resources By incorporating enrichment into our the amount of time spent performing
The Ohio State University institution’s training program, we instill stereotypies when DVDs were playing.
Columbus, OH in new hires that every interaction with As a result of this study we were able to
an animal is a time to provide enrich- adjust our DVD collection to include only
Providing research animals with appro- ment. The requirement to provide the DVDs that have been shown to be
priate environmental enrichment helps enrichment is routinely reinforced and frequently observed and well received
to encourage species-specific behavior. ultimately mandatory for all personnel by the NHPs.
In swine, this includes behaviors such
23WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

Abstract

Effects of Cage Density, Sanitation concentrations, behavior, morbidity, in the Guide do not negatively affect
Frequency, and Bedding Type on and mortality were assessed weekly; animal health, welfare, or production
Animal Well-being and Health and fecal corticosterone, microbiology, and parameters at our institution. These
Cage Environment in Mice and Rats lung histopathology (rats only) were parameters appear to be credible
Horn, Mandy J.1; Hudson, Shanice V.2; evaluated at the culmination of the measures of animal health and well-
Bostrom, Linda A.3; Cooper, Dale M.4 trial. In both rats and mice, parameters being and may be useful for evaluating
indicative of animal health and wel- performance standards for animal
Source: Journal of the American Association fare were not significantly affected by husbandry.
for Laboratory Animal Science, Volume 51, cage density and sanitation frequency
Number 6, November 2012, pp. 781-788(8) or bedding type. Occasional effects of Affiliations:
feed disappearance and cage ammonia 1: Technical Services Department,
http://aalas.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/ concentrations due to density and sanita- Research Models and Services, Harlan
content/aalas/jaalas tion guidelines were noted in rat cages, Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana;
and bedding type affected cage ammonia Email: [email protected]
The objective of the current study was to and ATP concentrations. Periodic spikes
evaluate the effects of cage density, sanita- of cage ammonia and ATP concentrations 2: Technical Services Department,
tion frequency, and bedding type on animal were recorded in mouse cages main- Research Models and Services, Harlan
growth and welfare. At weaning, Sprague- tained according to in-house compared Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana
Dawley rats and C57BL/6 mice were allo- with Guide standards and in cages
cated to treatment groups according to sex, containing aspen compared with cellu- 3: US Operations, Research Models
bedding type (shredded aspen, cellulose, lose or aspen-cellulose mixed bedding. and Services, Harlan Laboratories,
or a 50:50 mixture), and cage density and Ongoing studies and historical data Indianapolis, Indiana
sanitation frequency (in-house cage density support the finding that deviations or
standards and sanitation procedures exceptions from the cage density and 4: Veterinary Services Department,
measured against Guide recommendations) sanitation frequency standards set forth Research Models and Services, Harlan
for an 8-wk period. Body weight, feed Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana
disappearance, cage ammonia, ATP

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24 WINTER 2013 | THE ENRICHMENT RECORD

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