![]() Approximately 75-85% of all occupancy in both the day and evening hours occurred in 47% of the cage floor area located along the periphery. Results of the study revealed that breeding groups of guinea pigs utilize the periphery of the cage almost to the total exclusion of the centre of the cage. 208) for breeding guineapigs by observing groups of four or seven animals in an empty plastic cage: White, Balk, & Lang (1989) tested the "adequacy of these space allocations" (p. Campbell, Hughes, Griffin, Landi, & Mallon (1988) conducted a similar study several years later and confirmed that "the size of the cage had no significant effect on the amount of time a dog spent in a nonexercise state" (p. (1977) inferred from their findings that "the sizes of the standard cage appear to be adequate for laboratory beagle dogs and no advantage was found when the dogs were in larger cages with respect to behavior, patterns of activity, or health" (p. It was found that they spent 53-66% of their time sleeping or lying, compared to 25-40% standing which is the only position from which dogs could ambulate, suggesting that the voluntary exercise requirement of laboratory bred beagle dogs is much less than previously supposed (p. Hite, Hanson, Bohidar, Conti, & Mattis (1977) examined activity patterns and health parameters of two groups of 16 individually housed male beagles in standard cages (0.58 m2 x 76 cm) and in larger experimental cages (1.74 m2 x 76 cm):ĭogs in the larger cages did not utilize the additional floor space, which was three times the area of the standard size cage. Several investigators have challenged this assumption and conducted experiments to demonstrate that laboratory animals do not need more than minimum space allowance and, in fact, would not benefit from larger than minimal primary enclosures. These behaviors suggest that the space allocations are insufficient (Callard, Bursten, & Price, 2000 Draper, & Bernstein, 1963 Gunn, & Morton, 1995 Kitchen, & Martin, 1996 Mason, 1991 Paulk, Dienske, & Ribbens, 1977 Salzen, 1989). ![]() The legal minimal space of the primary enclosures is so cramped that laboratory animals commonly develop stereotypical movement patterns such as monotonously running in circles, pacing back and forth, swaying from side to side, tossing the head up and down, bouncing up and down, or somersaulting. These figures are determined by the individual animal's body weight category or size, with nursing dams requiring additional floor space. ![]() The allocations mandated were described in terms of minimum floor area per animal and minimum height of the primary enclosure. Department of Agriculture (USDA, 1995) prescribed specific space requirements for each regulated species. To assure that these animals are kept in primary enclosures which, at least, meet their spatial demands for normal postures and postural adjustments, the U. Department of Agriculture should explicitly require primary enclosures of laboratory animals to provide not only a specific volume of space, but also species-appropriate space structured for optimal use by the confined subject.Ĭage space, because of its relatively high cost, is one of the most contentious issues in the discussion of welfare of animals in the laboratory. Rather than counting on the professional judgment of attending veterinarians, investigators and facility administrators, The U.S. Primary enclosures of these animals traditionally are unfurnished, and there is no reason to believe that the biomedical research industry will change the status quo on its own accord. Ending the Slaughter of Nonambulatory PigsĪnimals in the laboratory need the legally required "empty space" to meet their basic spatial requirements for postural adjustment, but they also deserve functional structured space for species-typical locomotor behavior and dynamic interaction with their physical environment.State Wildlife Agency Contact Information.How to Communicate Effectively with Legislators.United States Legislative Information (external link).Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act.Farm Animal Anti-Confinement Legislation.Cetacean Anti-Captivity Legislation and Laws.Anti-whistleblower (“Ag-Gag”) Legislation.Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act.Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act.Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Farm Animals Act.Shaping Policy for Animals in Laboratories.
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