Guidelines for psychologists working with animals

Psychologists work with animals for a variety of reasons. The most obvious use is in research, including studies where animals are the primary subjects, for example, there has been some growth in studies of the cognitive capacities of different species (e.g. dogs and horses). In studies of this kind, the primary beneficiary is likely to be the animal species in question. 

Historically invasive studies of 'animal models' (of which humans are the intended beneficiary) and of the neural substrates of normal behaviour have commanded the most attention in the general media. Animals (or simulations of their behaviour) are also still sometimes used in practical teaching within psychology degree programmes. 

However, these do not exhaust the possible ways in which psychologists, in their professional capacity, may work with animals. For example, there is increasing use of animals in various forms of psychological therapy with people, or to advise on therapy for animals whose behaviour appears disordered in some way. Psychologists may also find themselves involved in the training and use of animals for commercial purposes. 

Many psychological studies involve no more than the observation of the animals but even observational studies can have unintended consequences; some research questions cannot be answered adequately without more invasive studies; and all studies of captive animals necessarily involve keeping animals in confinement. 

Studies of free-living animals in their natural habitat may involve disruption of their environment, habituation to humans, and brief capture for marking or attachment of a tracking or telemetry device.

The British Psychological Society has produced the following guidelines for the use of all members who are engaged in psychological activities involving living animals. The majority of animal use in psychology is in research, and, if involving scientific procedures that may cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm to a 'protected' animal species, is governed by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, amended 2012 (see Section 5 below).

Protected animals comprise all non-human vertebrates and cephalopods. Protection initially restricted to Octopus vulgaris has since been extended to all octopi and cuttlefish and squid which have common ancestry (Sanchez et al., 2018). 

These cephalopods have high head-body ratios and show impressive cognitive abilities (Darmaillacq et al., 2014). In general, researchers should be mindful that the cognitive capacities of other species may be under-estimated and there is evidence invertebrates of all kinds have the capacity to suffer (see, for example, Sherwin, 2001).

The guidelines should also be taken into consideration where any work is not governed by this Act, as a source of information for best practice. 

Psychologists working with animals in ways that are not covered by this legislation should aim to maintain standards at least as high as those suggested here for laboratory research use and should follow the spirit of these guidelines even where the 'letter of the law' cannot strictly be applied.

Some modern psychological research, for example, noninvasive studies of animals' cognitive capacities might seem unlikely to lead to situations in which the animals will require legal protection. However, in the case of work not covered by the UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, psychologists should be aware that they have a more general duty of care towards any protected animal under the Animal Welfare Act (2006) and – particularly in the case of wild animals – licences may nonetheless be required.

Download the guideline