Team for large animals and surgery GDL wins Culture of Care Award

The award was presented for the fourth time during a well-attended mini symposium on 5 February. The team, consisting of Danielle van Remmerden, Helma Avezaat, Hester de Bruin, Jeroen van Ark and Tamara Beukhof, has done a great deal to enrich the lives of the larger laboratory animals in particular. For example, the pigs have a large playroom with a wide variety of play materials, there are daily play sessions with animal caretakers, and the pigs roam freely through the corridors. The animals also experience less stress during blood sampling thanks to training with apple juice, and similar methods have been applied to sheep and goats. The dogs play outside every day and are given cognitive challenges. This approach not only improves animal welfare, but also increases job satisfaction among employees. A well-deserved award, according to the jury!