Welfare Science

Laboratory Rat Enrichment and Social Housing

Best practice guidance for enriching laboratory rat environments and the welfare benefits of social housing.

Key Facts

Rats are highly social animals that suffer in isolation
Social housing reduces stress markers and improves experimental reproducibility
Nesting material, shelters, and gnawing objects are basic enrichment needs
Play behaviour and rough and tumble wrestling are positive welfare indicators
Pair or group housing is recommended by most institutional animal care guidelines

Welfare Considerations

Isolating rats in barren cages causes chronic stress and suffering, compromising both animal welfare and the quality of scientific data.

What You Can Do

Support institutions with strong laboratory animal enrichment programmes
Advocate for social housing as a default for laboratory rats
Promote the 3Rs principle of Refinement in research institutions