Refining Housing, Husbandry and Care for Animals Used in Studies Involving Biotelemetry

Abstract

Simple SummaryBiotelemetry, the remote detection and measurement of an animal function or activity, is widely used in animal research. Biotelemetry devices transmit physiological or behavioural data and may be surgically implanted into animals, or externally attached. This can help to reduce animal numbers and improve welfare, e.g., if animals can be group housed and move freely instead of being tethered to a recording device. However, biotelemetry can also cause pain and distress to animals due to surgery, attachment, single housing and long term laboratory housing. This article explains how welfare and science can be improved by avoiding or minimising these harms.AbstractBiotelemetry can contribute towards reducing animal numbers and suffering in disciplines including physiology, pharmacology and behavioural research. However, the technique can also cause harm to animals, making biotelemetry a ‘refinement that needs refining’. Current welfare issues relating to the housing and husbandry of animals used in biotelemetry studies are single vs. group housing, provision of environmental enrichment, long term laboratory housing and use of telemetered data to help assess welfare. Animals may be singly housed because more than one device transmits on the same wavelength; due to concerns regarding damage to surgical sites; because they are wearing exteriorised jackets; or if monitoring systems can only record from individually housed animals. Much of this can be overcome by thoughtful experimental design and surgery refinements. Similarly, if biotelemetry studies preclude certain enrichment items, husbandry refinement protocols can be adapted to permit some environmental stimulation. Nevertheless, long-term laboratory housing raises welfare concerns and maximum durations should be defined. Telemetered data can be used to help assess welfare, helping to determine endpoints and refine future studies. The above measures will help to improve data quality as well as welfare, because experimental confounds due to physiological and psychological stress will be minimised.

Polyphosphate as a Bioactive and Biodegradable Implant Material: Induction of Bone Regeneration in Rats

“…The studies were performed with male Sprague‐Dawley rats, 6 weeks old (180 ± 25 g), which were obtained from the Animal Resources Centre (Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing; China). Pre‐operation, operation, and post‐operation care was performed as recommended . The temperature of the animal husbandry room was 21 ± 2 °C and the humidity 60 ± 10%.…”

Exploring the Gaps in Practical Ethical Guidance for Animal Welfare Considerations of Field Interventions and Innovations Targeting Dogs and Cats

“…The third principle, Refinement, seeks to address these by promoting approaches to avoid or minimize harm, and proactively enhance welfare over the animal’s lifetime through to death [ 53 ]. This necessitates refining practices directly related to the conduct of procedures (e.g., adverse events) and those indirectly associated with the inclusion of animals in research (e.g., housing and husbandry) [ 54 ]. Although animals targeted for intervention may be subjected to similar human-mediated actions (e.g., capture, handling, restraint, surgery and temporary housing), the harms these actions cause may not be identified or quantified, nor suitable methods employed to obviate or mitigate such actions [ 55 ].…”

Understanding the Interaction Between Animals and Wearables

“…Beyond the pet market, biotelemetry is used to monitor activities, behaviors and physiological status of a variety of animals [25]. Its use has yielded important benefits for the protection of endangered species [4] and the refinement of laboratory procedures [10]. It has also increased the practice of leaving farm and companion animals to roam free outside shelters and homes [27] [37].…”

“…Researchers have proposed guidelines to improve biotelemetry applications with laboratory [10][20] and wild animals [3][9] [40]. In particular, Morton et al [20], Hawkins [9], and Casper [3] highlighted the importance, on both welfare and scientific grounds, of considering the needs of individual animals in more detail.…”