Environmental enrichment: Room for reduction?
Abstract
Environmental enrichment strategies are usually regarded as refinement. However, when the welfare of animals is enhanced through successful enrichment programmes, a reduction in the number of animals needed can be expected, because fewer animals might be lost during the course of experiments. Several examples of studies where enrichment can lead to reduction will be presented. They include the beneficial effects of nesting material for laboratory mice, the effects of husbandry procedures on controlling aggressive behaviour in male laboratory mice, and the effects of enrichment on variation in the results of experiments.
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The use of manipulations to enhance positive welfare in laboratory animals has been shown not to be a source of variability.
“The use of manipulations to enhance positive welfare in laboratory animals has been shown not to be a source of variability ( Kentner et al., 2021), and a possible contribution towards improved model validity and data reproducibility ( Loss et al., 2021; Van De Weerd et al., 2004; Würbel & Garner, 2007).”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Van De Weerd et al., 2004
Positive welfare manipulations may contribute to improved model validity and data reproducibility.
“The use of manipulations to enhance positive welfare in laboratory animals has been shown not to be a source of variability ( Kentner et al., 2021), and a possible contribution towards improved model validity and data reproducibility ( Loss et al., 2021; Van De Weerd et al., 2004; Würbel & Garner, 2007).”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Van De Weerd et al., 2004
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Bombail, V., Brown, S. M., Beyts, C., Martin, J. E., Li, T., Meddle, S. L., Mendl, M., Robinson, E. S., Hammond, T. J., Nielsen, B. L., et al. (2025) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.166417.2 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
- Authors
- Van de Weerd, H. A., Van Loo, P. L. P., & Baumans, V.
- Affiliations
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- ORCID
- Baumans, Vera
- Venue
- Alternatives to Laboratory Animals
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 2_suppl
- Pages
- 69-71
- ISSN
- 0261-1929 (ISSN-L)
- 2632-3559
- OpenAlex
- W2939485964
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Alternatives to Laboratory Animals (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal testing and alternatives
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
- Keywords
- environmental enrichment, animal welfare, refinement, laboratory mice, nesting material, aggression, husbandry procedures, experimental variability, animal losses
- MeSH terms
- Aggression, Animals, Animal Husbandry, Animal Welfare, Animals, Laboratory, Environment, Controlled, Housing, Animal, Animal Use Alternatives, Mice
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