Do you understand the importance of companionship to your
dog? Can you sympathize with animals that appeared bored
or unhappy? While the emotional lives of animals have been
obvious to those of us that have lived or worked closely
with animals, it is only recently that the scientific community
has begun to acknowledge animal sentience and the responsibilities
it imposes. Those in the animal care field have always been
very concerned with the proper physical care of their charges,
however, it is only relatively recently that significant
professional attention has been paid to the social and psychological
needs of animals.
Enrichment is now considered a fundamental component of
animal welfare. Enrichment programs are mandated by the
United States Department of Agriculture and the American
Zoo and Aquarium Association in the US, and by other governing
bodies abroad. The goals of enrichment are to increase behavioral
diversity, increase positive use of the animal's environment,
decrease abnormal or self-destructive behaviors, and increase
the animal's ability to deal with changes and challenges
around it.
Enrichment can take many forms, such as social contact
with humans or other animals, exercise, puzzles, novel feeding
or sensory stimuli, and changes to the size or complexity
of the animal's environment. While the specifics of an enrichment
program will vary from institution to institution, it is
clear - based on our knowledge of animal minds and emotions
- that behavioral enrichment is not a luxury. It is part
of our obligation to every animal we keep in captivity.
