The welfare of laboratory animals between experimental procedures is often overlooked, but housing conditions, social contact, and environmental enrichment profoundly affect their wellbeing and research validity.
The Three Rs framework — Replace, Reduce, Refine — was designed to guide ethical animal research, but Refinement of housing conditions often receives less attention than experimental procedures themselves. Providing appropriate social housing, nesting materials, hiding spaces, and foraging opportunities reduces chronic stress and improves both animal welfare and the reliability of research results.