Poster on furnishings and enrichment for laboratory animals
Last spring, we published a statement from the National Committee which clarifies the difference between furnishings and enrichment. The statement is now available as a poster.
Environmental enrichment is often mentioned in discussions about the welfare of laboratory animals. In Sweden there are two concepts used to describe modifications to the housing environment – furnishings and enrichment. The two concepts are frequently used interchangeably. Last spring, we published a statement from the Swedish National Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes to clarify the differences we believe exist between furnishings and enrichment.
The National Committee considers that
- furnishings refers to resources in the enclosure that meet the animals’ basic needs
- enrichment refers to resources provided to the animals to offer stimulation beyond their basic needs.
The statement is now available as a poster that you can print and display in a suitable location at your workplace.
The statement and poster are also available in Swedish.