A letter to the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

 A letter addressed to the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

I personally find it hard to argue against the fact that rats are extremely valuable assets to the field of research, especially medical research. Without these rodents, some of our most important developments such as common cardiovascular drugs, procedures involving implants, and our understanding of psychology or behavior would not be explored as deeply as it is today (Rats). They are very similar to us humans when it comes to genetics, physiology, brain structure, and anatomy (Bryda), not only that, but the fact that their life cycle is so short also allows us to observe them as they age. Many other test subjects like pigs have a much longer life cycle which makes them harder to study. All of this makes rats very valuable as they are undeniably an excellent stand-in for humans; this is especially true when they are treated ethically. Laboratories all over use the 3 Ns of ethical animal research; the 3 Ns stand for Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. Replacement means that researchers replace rats with other research methods if possible, reduction means only using as many test subjects as absolutely necessary, and refinement means reducing any potential stressors from the environment (The 3Rs). Although these 3 Rs work well for treating animals which we rely so much on for research with the respect they deserve, people still have welfare concerns. As long as they don't interfere with the studies, I have some potential solutions to minimize those concerns. These solutions aim to allow for the expression of natural behaviors and reduce stress by modifying the environment they spend their lives in.

One solution I propose is to increase cage sizes. Increasing cage sizes will provide space for rats to explore hide and have spots separate from cage mates; all of these will reduce stress. Including more mental stimulation and enrichment such as simple toys, wheels, or anything to make for an environment with some form of variety will reduce stress and allow natural behaviors (Baumans). I hope these recommendations are taken into consideration, and that the rats we owe so much to continue to help our understanding of the world.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Moral Vision Statement

Image
It is common for certain groups of animals such as rats to be forgotten. People tend to have a disinterest for the species, which leads to a lack of knowledge of how these animals are treated and a disconnect emotionally. However, there should be a bare minimum understanding that rats can experience pain; they are not devoid from physical or mental/emotional suffering. Much like the animals that tend have higher value in Western society (i.e dogs and cats), rats should be given the right to humane treatment. To improve upon the treatment of rats, a few solutions could be implemented. Rats (and all lab animals for that manner) should be protected under the Animal Welfare Act, and that act should be reviewed and enforced by a reliable, non-affiliated third party. Rats should not be subjected to testing or additional suffering if it is not necessary for medical advancement (such as cosmetic testing) or if there is a feasible alternative. In addition, other daily inhumane acts such as cert...
Read more

The Social History and Domestication of Rats

Image
Are rats pets or pests, friends or foes? Rats and humans have a rich history of interaction. Rats have found ways to take advantage of human agriculture, infrastructure, and waste, while humans have found ways to use rats for research, companionship, and even military purposes. There are also negative ways we interact such as rats being vectors for disease and humans constantly trying to kill off rat populations with poison and traps. Before rats were domesticated by humans, our two species already had frequent interactions. When humans began shifting from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to lifestyles of agriculture, that opened the door for many human-rat interactions. Rats have been living in the homes of humans, eating food from human farms, and eating food stored in man-made structures for thousands of years, and they continue to do so. Anyone living in large cities can attest to the fact that rats love living in close proximity with humans, and they always find a way into our homes, fo...
Read more

Rat Ethology

Image
D espite what other people may tell you, It’s important to recognize that rats exhibit a very wide range of emotions. They generally aren't given credit for this because of our perception of them as pests. They experience emotions ranging from joy, sadness, and fear, to more complex ones like the ability to empathize or regret decisions. The ability to regret in rats was a large discovery because, before 2014, no mammal apart from humans was proven to have the capacity to experience regret. A study was done where a rat had the choice to wait in line for a favorite food or to find a less fulfilling meal elsewhere. After choosing to eat something else, some rats were observed going back to wait for the tastier food. The relevant part of this study is that the rats regretted leaving the line. Some may argue that they experienced disappointment only rather than regret, however, their orbitofrontal cortex became active, which is the same part of the brain that activates in humans when w...
Read more