Animal Welfare

ANEWCRO is deeply committed to industry-leading animal welfare, integrating innovative technologies, refined handling techniques, and expert behavioral management to ensure the highest standards of care for our research animals. Our approach prioritizes both the physical well-being and psychological enrichment of the animals, fostering an environment that supports their natural behaviors while minimizing stress and discomfort. By leveraging cutting-edge advancements in husbandry, training, and housing, ANEWCRO continuously enhances the welfare and quality of life for the animals under our care.

One of ANEWCRO’s key initiatives in advancing animal welfare is the adoption of collar-less chairing techniques, a significant refinement in non-human primate research. Traditional chairing methods often rely on neck or waist collars to facilitate handling and restraint, which can be stressful for the animals. By eliminating the need for collars, our approach reduces physical discomfort and psychological distress while maintaining the necessary level of control for research procedures. Instead, we utilize positive reinforcement training (PRT) to encourage voluntary cooperation from the animals, making restraint procedures less invasive and more humane. This approach not only improves animal well-being but also enhances data quality by reducing stress-related physiological variability.

Another essential component of ANEWCRO’s welfare-driven model is the implementation of pen caging systems, which provide a more spacious and socially enriched environment compared to traditional single housing or smaller caging setups. These larger, open-concept enclosures allow for increased social interactions, natural movement, and species-specific behaviors such as climbing, foraging, and grooming. By reducing confinement stress and promoting physical activity, pen caging significantly enhances the animals' overall welfare. Furthermore, these enclosures can be adapted to accommodate different research protocols while still prioritizing animal comfort and well-being.

Enrichment programs at ANEWCRO are designed using the latest scientific insights into primate behavior, cognitive engagement, and environmental stimulation. We employ a diverse array of enrichment strategies to promote naturalistic behaviors and prevent boredom or stress-related behaviors such as stereotypies. Our enrichment offerings include:

Cognitive enrichment: Puzzle feeders, problem-solving tasks, and interactive devices that stimulate mental engagement.
Social enrichment: Pair or group housing whenever possible, allowing animals to engage in natural social behaviors such as grooming and play.
Sensory enrichment: Exposure to varied textures, sounds, scents, and visual stimuli to enhance environmental complexity.
Physical enrichment: Climbing structures, swings, ropes, and platforms to encourage movement and exercise.
Nutritional enrichment: Novel food items, foraging tasks, and varied diet presentations to mimic natural feeding behaviors.

ANEWCRO’s behavioral management team plays a crucial role in ensuring that every animal receives individualized attention and care. Our specialists are trained in behavioral conditioning, stress reduction techniques, and non-aversive handling methods, fostering positive human-animal interactions. By incorporating operant conditioning and positive reinforcement techniques, our team trains animals to voluntarily participate in routine procedures such as injections, blood draws, and imaging scans. This reduces the need for sedation or physical restraint, further improving welfare and data integrity.

Our animal welfare philosophy builds upon the principles established by Bioculture, a leader in primate breeding and care. By integrating Bioculture’s best practices with ANEWCRO’s own advancements, we ensure that every aspect of our housing, handling, and experimental procedures aligns with the highest ethical and scientific standards. Our welfare-focused initiatives not only meet but often exceed global regulatory requirements, including those set forth by the USDA, AAALAC, and the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW).

At ANEWCRO, we recognize that superior animal welfare directly translates into better research outcomes. Reduced stress and improved well-being lead to more reliable physiological and behavioral data, minimizing confounding variables in preclinical studies. Our investment in progressive welfare practices reflects our commitment to both ethical research and scientific excellence, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of humane and high-quality biomedical research.