Understanding the psychology of animal care professionals

Understanding the psychology of animal care professionals by Keith Davies , MBA, MIAT, RAnTech Operational Director of Facilities, Joint Biological Services, Cardiff University, Wales, as published in Lab Animal Europe (www.labanimaleurope.eu) in March 2008

Much has been written about the role and responsibilities of those of us involved with laboratory animals and the potential of those animals to perceive fear and distress. This editorial aims to challenge and question some of the more rarely discussed aspects of our industry by shifting the focus from animals to people. How do those of us in the animal industry cope with concepts such as fear, guilt, shame, loathing and obvious emotional responsibilities? What journey do we travel as we join the industry and progress through it? Is the dream fulfilled for those who enter believing that animal care and care alone is what awaits them? Or is it instead a more contradictory journey, at odds with the ideals that drew us to work in this field in the first place?

Readers of this journal are accustomed to focusing on animals and animal issues. This editorial aims to consider the psychological impact of this profession on those who care for animals on a day-to-day basis. As a manager of some 15 years' standing, with an additional 18 years within the industry, I have begun to consider what my career has involved only within the last five to six years. A student attending one of our in-house training courses asked me some fundamental questions: "Why do you do the job that you do?" and "How do you cope with the pressure?" These rather innocuous questions caused me to reflect upon the nature of my professional career, and these reflections form the basis of this editorial. Over the last few years, I have undertaken a research journey not only to help me better understand the questions posed above, but also to consider whether my own experiences are similar to, or different from, those of my colleagues in the industry. What started out as an initial investigation into grief counselling has evolved to encompass emotion, fear, guilt, shame and loathing. Although these terms may be jarring, my aim is not to discuss the relative merits and demerits of emotive language, but to stop and reflect upon the day-to-day occurrences of our working lives. Are we exposed to emotions that may render us fearful, distressed or anxious in some way? Do we cloak ourselves in processes and procedures that shield us from our real vulnerabilities?

All of us working in the industry, regardless of our status or experience, will develop a coping strategy, working as we do within a "culture of care." The Nuffield Council on Bioethics reminds us that we may precipitate fear and distress in laboratory animals long before conducting scientific procedures on them. The culture of each organisation in this industry is therefore critical to foster not only a commitment to animal care protocols, but also respect and dignity for those charged with seeing those protocols through. This idea has clear implications for management. Managers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of all our employees, as well as a mutual responsibility to each other to ensure we recognise and understand the real challenges of doing our jobs. The psychological impact of animal care, particularly tasks such as euthanasia, is, in the main, not well understood. The Mazer Guild in the United States is perhaps the one exception; its 'Twelve Concepts' explain in great detail and with compassion the realties of the situation. Unfortunately, this model appears to be isolated in its application (in animal shelters). I believe its principles have much to offer our industry. The reality for our industry is that little is known, at least in the UK, about feelings, emotions and associated psychological constructs for those involved with experiments on animals. My research aims specifically to explore these issues in post-graduate laboratory settings. I recently conducted focus groups in each six different academic locations in an effort to understand how some people cope with the tasks at hand. My research includes the views of both animal technicians involved with caring and managers tasked with the duty of care that I described earlier. I deem it important that all of us understand our respective roles and responsibilities in embodying the culture of respect and dignity that we naturally afford to animals but may have neglected to extend to each other.

We should honestly discuss and share how we do the job we do and how we cope with the subsequent pressures. The complexity of our interactions, both with each other and with the animals under our care, can only ever be routed in an undercurrent of emotion. Very few jobs are neutral in emotional terms, and ours certainly are not among them. Perhaps, if we began to consider and recognise what we do and to share with each other how we feel about these tasks, we might be better placed to cope with the emotional impact that undoubtedly exists. Like many other parts of the UK economy, we face recruitment difficulties as we struggle to employ, develop and retain people within our industry. My research indicates a potential gap in the processes of recruitment and development of impressionable young people, who may have varying degrees of fear and apprehension about what lies ahead. If we fail to develop, retain, care for and manage the future workforce, the future is likely to be increasingly bleak. Although my research points to a number of susceptibilities, such as isolation, alienation and frustration, for those of us already in the industry, there is hope for those considering a career path ahead. We will achieve a modicum of success if we can, at least, begin to recognise, understand and talk about the nature of the work we do. This may ameliorate the negative emotional dissonance that underlies the fear, distress and, perhaps, loathing that some of us may secretly harbour.

Keith Davies , MBA, MIAT, RAnTech
Operational Director of Facilities, Joint Biological Services, Cardiff University, Wales

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