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Both human and non-human primates in laboratories often find it difficult if not impossible to maintain strong mental health and emotional well-being. The non-human primates face the most extreme suffering of course. Inadequate housing, social isolation, pain, illness, fear, and boredom all exact a terrible toll on the minds and bodies of laboratory monkeys and apes. Caring and compassionate laboratory employees who witness the suffering of their non-human friends, and despise the system that allows such suffering to continue, also suffer emotional and psychological damage.
This section includes information on environmental enrichment and behavioral training, means by which laboratory employees can help ease (but unfortunately not eliminate) the suffering of laboratory monkeys and apes, as well as information on emotional issues faced by laboratory employees who are too often powerless to stop the suffering they witness. |
LPAG members know all too well the price paid by laboratory workers. It is often difficult to explain to the layperson why we stay in situations in which we are witness to the suffering of the beings in our care, or how we are able to participate in procedures. While to outsiders it appears that we are a part of the 'establishment,' many of us believe that we are obligated to stay on because we may be the one care-giver able to effectively advocate for our charges. Please read the articles below to learn more about what lab workers go through, and how we deal with those feelings.
Laboratory Employee Mental Health, by LPAG's Nancy Megna – a discussion of the emotional and psychological issues that laboratory employees may face, including compassion fatigue and four phases of caring, and how to cope with these challenges. [html] [pdf]
Trapped in a Guilt Cage by Arnold Arluke - Animal Welfare Information Center Newsletter; April-June 1993, Volume 4, Number 2, ISSN: 1050-561X
The Four Phases by Douglas Fakkema - Petmotion.com
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