Culturing care in animal research

Abstract

This chapter asks how can a culture of care be defined, what does it look like in institutions where it is functioning well, and what factors enable or constrain its development? Drawing on over eight years of qualitative research in laboratory animal facilities, it explores the different ways in which care is understood and practised through the breeding, husbandry, and use of laboratory animals. The chapter begins by placing the ‘culture of care’ in context, looking at its emergence in the field of laboratory animal research. It then uses evidence from research to outline different forms and expressions of care, the factors that enable or constrain its development, and their perceived implications for animal and staff wellbeing. It concludes by recommending that institutions, managers, and regulators seeking to promote a ‘culture of care’ need to be mindful of different, sometimes conflicting, understandings of what constitutes good care, and the roles played by (a) infrastructure, (b) governance, and (c) human–human and human–animal relations, in facilitating and/or restricting care-full practice.

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ORCID for Emma Roe: orcid.org/0000-0003-4674-2133

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