The Welfare of Laboratory Animals: (2 Animal Welfare)

Where there are no alternatives to the use of experimental animals in biomedical research, their welfare has to be ensured as far as possible. The aim of this book is to describe the current knowledge about the welfare of laboratory animals. There is previous literature dealing with the welfare of animals in general, as well as literature dealing with the maintenance and use of laboratory animals. This book brings together these two topics, focusing to the general and species-specific needs of laboratory animals in the light of their welfare. The book will provide material for researchers, lecturers, students and technical staff working with laboratory animals. The authors of this book are leading European scientists in laboratory animal science. The book has two main parts: part one focuses on the general principles of laboratory animal maintenance and experimental use, as well as factors which have to be taken into account when good research is done with animals. The second part is species specific, concentrating on the species most used as laboratory animals. This part gives a comprehensive description of the welfare questions considered to be important for each species under laboratory conditions.

Table of Contents:
General Principles for Maintenance and Use of Laboratory Animals.- Animal welfare - an introduction.- Research, animals and welfare. Regulations, alternatives and guidelines.- Infections in laboratory animals: Importance and control.- Housing, care and environmental factors.- Nutrition and animal welfare.- Experimental procedures: General principles and recommendations.- The Welfare of Different Species.- The welfare of laboratory mice.- The welfare of laboratory rats.- The welfare of laboratory guinea pigs.- The welfare of laboratory rabbits.- The welfare of laboratory dogs.- The welfare of pigs and minipigs.- The welfare of non-human primates.- Animal welfare issues under laboratory constraints, an ethological perspective: rodents and marmosets.

Review :
From the reviews:

"Eila Kaliste has edited an important text in the series entitled Animal Welfare a ] . Each chapter has its own reference list following it, providing ample additional reading should one be so inclined. The illustrations, both photographs and charts, are all helpful. a ] Those working in laboratories and doing testing using animals a ] will find this text useful in determining the optimal condition for their laboratories." (Sue Norman, E-streams, Vol. 8 (8), 2005)