Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing
Abstract Background Replacement, reduction and refinement, the 3R principles, provide a framework to minimize the use and suffering of animals in science. In this context, we aimed to determine the actual perception that individuals working with laboratory rodents in biomedical research have on anim...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Laboratory Animal Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w |
| _version_ | 1831790748924641280 |
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| author | Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga Iván Ortega-Saez Sergi Vila Garikoitz Azkona |
| author_facet | Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga Iván Ortega-Saez Sergi Vila Garikoitz Azkona |
| author_sort | Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Replacement, reduction and refinement, the 3R principles, provide a framework to minimize the use and suffering of animals in science. In this context, we aimed to determine the actual perception that individuals working with laboratory rodents in biomedical research have on animal welfare and on their interaction with the animals, as well as how they perceive its impact on their social relations. To this end, we designed an anonymous on-line survey for people working with rodents, at three responsibility levels, in Spain. Results Of the 356 participants, 239 were women (67 %); 263 were researchers (74 %), and 93 animal facility staff (26 %), of which 55 were caretakers/technicians (15 %), and 38 welfare officer/veterinarians (11 %). Animal facility staff indicated environmental enrichment to be a universal practice. About half of the participants reported that, in their opinion, animals suffer “little to none” or “minor” stress and pain. Animal caretakers/technicians and researchers perceived higher levels of stress and pain than welfare officers/veterinarians. Participants judged decapitation the most unpleasant method to kill rodents, whereas anaesthetic overdose was the least one. A sizable proportion − 21 % of animal caretakers/technicians and 11.4 % of researchers - stated that they were never given the choice not to euthanize the rodents they work with. Overall, women reported higher interactions with animals than men. Nevertheless, we could detect a significant correlation between time spent with the animals and interaction scores. Notably, 80 % of animal facility staff and 92 % of researchers rarely talked about their work with laboratory rodents with people outside their inner social circle. Conclusions Overall, the participants showed high awareness and sensitivity to rodent wellbeing; animal facility staff reported a similar perception on welfare questions, independently of their category, while researchers, who spent less time with the animals, showed less awareness and manifested lower human-animal interaction and less social support. Regarding the perception on social acceptance of laboratory animal work, all groups were cautious and rarely talked about their job, suggesting that it is considered a sensitive issue in Spain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T14:39:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69f6dc613b4b4538a2a53a918344169c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2233-7660 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T14:39:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Laboratory Animal Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-69f6dc613b4b4538a2a53a918344169c2022-12-21T18:22:34ZengBMCLaboratory Animal Research2233-76602021-07-0137111010.1186/s42826-021-00098-wWorking with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeingOlatz Goñi-Balentziaga0Iván Ortega-Saez1Sergi Vila2Garikoitz Azkona3Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU)Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB)Scientific and Technological Centers (CCIT), University of Barcelona (UB)Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU)Abstract Background Replacement, reduction and refinement, the 3R principles, provide a framework to minimize the use and suffering of animals in science. In this context, we aimed to determine the actual perception that individuals working with laboratory rodents in biomedical research have on animal welfare and on their interaction with the animals, as well as how they perceive its impact on their social relations. To this end, we designed an anonymous on-line survey for people working with rodents, at three responsibility levels, in Spain. Results Of the 356 participants, 239 were women (67 %); 263 were researchers (74 %), and 93 animal facility staff (26 %), of which 55 were caretakers/technicians (15 %), and 38 welfare officer/veterinarians (11 %). Animal facility staff indicated environmental enrichment to be a universal practice. About half of the participants reported that, in their opinion, animals suffer “little to none” or “minor” stress and pain. Animal caretakers/technicians and researchers perceived higher levels of stress and pain than welfare officers/veterinarians. Participants judged decapitation the most unpleasant method to kill rodents, whereas anaesthetic overdose was the least one. A sizable proportion − 21 % of animal caretakers/technicians and 11.4 % of researchers - stated that they were never given the choice not to euthanize the rodents they work with. Overall, women reported higher interactions with animals than men. Nevertheless, we could detect a significant correlation between time spent with the animals and interaction scores. Notably, 80 % of animal facility staff and 92 % of researchers rarely talked about their work with laboratory rodents with people outside their inner social circle. Conclusions Overall, the participants showed high awareness and sensitivity to rodent wellbeing; animal facility staff reported a similar perception on welfare questions, independently of their category, while researchers, who spent less time with the animals, showed less awareness and manifested lower human-animal interaction and less social support. Regarding the perception on social acceptance of laboratory animal work, all groups were cautious and rarely talked about their job, suggesting that it is considered a sensitive issue in Spain.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42826-021-00098-wEnvironmental enrichmentAnalgesiaAnesthesiaEuthanasiaHuman-animal interactionSocial support |
| spellingShingle | Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga Iván Ortega-Saez Sergi Vila Garikoitz Azkona Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing Laboratory Animal Research Environmental enrichment Analgesia Anesthesia Euthanasia Human-animal interaction Social support |
| title | Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| title_full | Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| title_fullStr | Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| title_short | Working with laboratory rodents in Spain: a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| title_sort | working with laboratory rodents in spain a survey on welfare and wellbeing |
| topic | Environmental enrichment Analgesia Anesthesia Euthanasia Human-animal interaction Social support |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42826-021-00098-w |
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