2016 SNEAALAS Year End Awards Banquet

Abstract:  Whether you have been working in the field of laboratory animal science for two years or two decades, you have witnessed, read, or heard about changes in animal housing environments, recommended modifications to various techniques such as restraint or euthanasia, enhancements to analgesic and anesthetic regimens, and transformations in other aspects of animal care and use that influence welfare.  The new knowledge generated by scientific research often directly or indirectly leads to improvements in laboratory animal management practices, as the link between animal welfare and quality science becomes increasingly evident.  Consequently, the once nascent field of animal welfare science is growing into a mature scientific discipline in North America and Europe that is shaping research animal care and use standards worldwide.  This presentation will describe the journey from an emphasis on the physical health of research animals to concern about the animal’s gestalt welfare status, and the influences that have fostered this paradigm shift.