Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Protocol Review
  • Published:

Old World monkeys need their new world reviewed

Lab Animal volume 49, page 298 (2020)Cite this article

Subjects

Expecting the unexpected is a challenge when planning any scientific research study. Although standard adverse outcomes can be anticipated based on the nature of the protocol, a keen IACUC and veterinary care program will have a fluid process for handling unexpected scenarios such as the one described at Great Eastern.

The Animal Welfare Act outlines requirements for review of nonhuman primates exempted from an environmental enhancement plan. In the case of scientific exemption, it is up to the IACUC to review these exemptions at least annually1. Dr. Reisman’s proposal was for a study with duration of one year; did the approved protocol adequately address enrichment considerations for long-term single housing? Did it describe a plan in the event that one animal died while on study, leaving the remaining animal socially isolated? These questions should be thoroughly assessed during protocol review, particularly for PHS-assured institutions2. Although short term separation of animals may be an acute stressor, long term separation or permanent social removal may cause distress and alter social behavior3,4,5. The physiologic and behavioral stress associated with singly housing social species is well documented in literature and careful pre-planning should exist to minimize detrimental effects5. Unless there is scientific or veterinary justification to keep the animals separated, careful reintroduction by a trained care team should be pursued and guidance is readily available on this process1,6. If social housing proves to be unattainable, daily positive socialization with caregivers may be an adequate alternative to reduce distress4.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, 9 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter A §2143, 3.81

  2. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 8th edn. pp. 25-26, 30, 63. (National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2011).

  3. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. Guidelines for the care and use of mammals in neuroscience and behavioral research p 144. (The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.; 2003).

  4. Tardif, S. D., Coleman, K., Hobbs, T. R. & Lutz, C. ILAR J 54, 234–245 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Koyama, H. et al. Exp Anim 68, 195–211 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wolfle, T. L. J Appl Anim Welf Sci 2, 297–302 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Veterinary Services, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Carolyn M. Doerning & Sai Tummala

Authors
  1. Carolyn M. Doerning
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sai Tummala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolyn M. Doerning.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Doerning, C.M., Tummala, S. Old World monkeys need their new world reviewed. Lab Anim 49, 298 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-020-00663-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-020-00663-1

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing