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11.6 The Impact of Training 281

VetBooks.ir 11.6 The Impact of Training welfare, outside of the training session, as a
consequence of the training programme.
Thus far, this chapter has outlined how we There are studies which suggest that taking
might apply some learning principles to bet- part in a training programme can confer
ter understand how it affects animal welfare; behavioural changes outside of the training
and importantly how to recognise when our programme itself and thus welfare can be
feelings prejudice our view of what the animal promoted. For example, Pomerantz and
might be. Considering the impact of training Terkel (2009) observed that laboratory
on animal welfare is an epic challenge, not housed chimpanzees displayed a higher rate
least because there are different animal learn- of behaviours associated with positive welfare
ing principles, which underpin many differ- and few behaviours associated with poor wel-
ent training techniques, which are interpreted fare, after the implementation of a training
differently and thus actioned differently; and programme. The authors suggested that
that is just the variation in how we provide training led to positive changes in welfare
training! There are of course, as many differ- which were sustained and occurred outside of
ences in the animals we choose to train, the training programme. Similar findings
whether they exist at the species or individual have been reported in zoo situations, for dif-
level. To provide a meaningful and coherent ferent species. For example, zoo housed ring‐
consideration of how animal training has tailed lemurs, during periods where training
been empirically demonstrated to enhance was provided (for cognitive research), were
zoo animal welfare, we too are restricted by observed to display higher rates of affiliative
the published literature; few studies have behaviour and lower rates of aggressive
detailed training provision or the impact of behaviours (Spiezio et al. 2017). The inclusion
training on either physiological or psycho- of a training programme into the husbandry
logical parameters. Instead, much of the lit- of fur seals was thought to be the reason why
erature focusing on zoo animal training no stereotypies were displayed (Wierucka
evidences success of a training programme, et al. 2016); though with no data relating to
by the expression of the desired behaviour. the animal prior to the implementation of the
training programme is it difficult to appreci-
ate whether the authors are observing an
11.6.1 Overview of Positive association or causal relationship between
Impacts Associated with Training
training and stereotypic behaviour.
There are a number of ways that training zoo Another way training can improve animal
animals can improve their welfare. The per- welfare, is indirectly by virtue of a successful
formance of the behaviour might itself have training programme facilitating the role of
beneficial welfare repercussions. For exam- the zoo professional, and facilitating hus-
ple, we read in Chapter 3 that learning can bandry. When animals are trained to facili-
result in all types of physiological and psy- tate husbandry requirements, the animals
chological benefits. So we might be safe to can benefit from better veterinary/health
assume that whilst animals are learning in a care, nutrition, access to resources and much
training programme, the welfare of the ani- more. The ways in which training can facili-
mals might be improved through positive tate husbandry are many, but some examples
ramifications of learning, such as brain are listed here: proactive and preventative
development (reviewed in Chapter 3). The veterinary care i.e. training for venepuncture,
animal might also directly benefit from the urine sample collection, or a nebuliser
behaviours it performs during a training pro- (Aldabra tortoise, Weiss and Wilson 2003;
gramme, if they themselves serve to promote marine mammals, Ramirez 2012; zoo chim-
welfare in and of themselves, or if the animal panzee, Gresswell and Goodman 2011; pri-
performs behaviours associated with good mates, Savastano et al. 2003); facilitating