Cited by 190Animal Behavior and Welfare StudiesAnimal testing and alternativesVeterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia

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To Group or Not to Group? Good Practice for Housing Male Laboratory Mice

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Kappel, Sarah, Hawkins, Penny, Mendl, Michael·2017·Animals

DOI 10.3390/ani7120088PMC PMC5742782

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Abstract

It is widely recommended to group-house male laboratory mice because they are ‘social animals’, but male mice do not naturally share territories and aggression can be a serious welfare problem. Even without aggression, not all animals within a group will be in a state of positive welfare. Rather, many male mice may be negatively affected by the stress of repeated social defeat and subordination, raising concerns about welfare and also research validity. However, individual housing may not be an appropriate solution, given the welfare implications associated with no social contact. An essential question is whether it is in the best welfare interests of male mice to be group- or singly housed. This review explores the likely impacts—positive and negative—of both housing conditions, presents results of a survey of current practice and awareness of mouse behavior, and includes recommendations for good practice and future research. We conclude that whether group- or single-housing is better (or less worse) in any situation is highly context-dependent according to several factors including strain, age, social position, life experiences, and housing and husbandry protocols. It is important to recognise this and evaluate what is preferable from animal welfare and ethical perspectives in each case.

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Authors: Kappel, S., Hawkins, P., & Mendl, M.
Affiliations: University of Bristol (GB)
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GB)
Corresponding author: Kappel, Sarah
Hawkins, Penny
ORCID: Kappel, Sarah
Hawkins, Penny
Mendl, Michael
Venue: Animals
Publisher: MDPI AG
Published: 2017-11-24
Volume: 7
Issue: 12
Pages: 88
ISSN: 2076-2615 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.3390/ani7120088
PMC: PMC5742782
OpenAlex: W2766574891
Cited by: 190
References: 136
Citations by year: 2026: 9 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1
FWCI: 4.14
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor)
Locations: Animals (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Preprints.org (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PEARL (University of Plymouth) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
PEARL (University of Plymouth) (submittedVersion)
Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal testing and alternatives
Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia
Keywords: laboratory mice, male mice, group housing, single housing, animal welfare, social behavior, aggression, social defeat, subordination, stress, housing conditions, husbandry, mouse strain differences, research validity

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To Group or Not to Group? Good Practice for Housing Male Laboratory Mice

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