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- Animal Welfare Supervisors
The animal welfare supervisor always has the animal´s best interest at heart.
Katarina Cvek-Hopkins has worked with animals throughout her life. As the animal welfare supervisor at the centre for domestic animal sciences in theSwedishUniversityof Agricultural Science (SLU) in Uppsala she ensures that the unit´s mice, rats, fish, and goats receive care that complies with animal welfare laws.
I think it´s an important job to help our laboratory animals be as comfortable as possible. Their welfare is our responsibility," she says.
As a child, Katarina Cvek-Hopkins had rabbits and guinea pigs; when she became older she liked horses and dogs. Directly after secondary school she began working as a laboratory animal technician. Later she studied to become a domestic animal agronomist. Her intention was to work as an advisor to farmers, but she soon realised it did not suit her.
Instead she decided to do research. She studied the mechanisms of milk production and worked, e.g. with goats at the centre for domestic animal sciences. By the time she became the supervisor there she had also worked as a teacher, at both an upper secondary school (Natural Resource Use Programme) and at a university.
“It feels like I´ve come full circle. When I began working as a laboratory animal technician in 1995 I reacted to the animals´ conditions. Then I gave the animals water and food on Fridays and they were on their own until Monday. Today I work to ensure that they are treated better," she says.
As animal welfare supervisor, Katarina Cvek-Hopkins is responsible to ensure that conditions for the animals are satisfactory and that the laws are followed. She visits the animal department and talks with the animal technicians at regular intervals to see that everything is in order. She is also responsible for signing the applications to the Ethical Committee on Animal Experiments, so she has regular contact with the principal investigators at the department.
“I view my work with ethical applications to be my most important duty as animal welfare supervisor. I do not simply sign off on the applications, but often question what the principal investigators have proposed."
The job of animal welfare supervisor is not a full-time job for Katarina Cvek-Hopkins. Mainly, she is responsible for laboratory animals for all of SLU. For example, she travels around to different universities and holds courses on laboratory animal sciences. In addition, she conducts her own research. Her current project is to study how the cages for laboratory rats can be better adapted to the needs of the animal.
“The cages are so low today. In contrast to mice, adult rats do not climb up and down in the cage, nor can they stand on their hind legs and stretch, which is a natural behaviour."
Without question, the rats are Katarina Cvek-Hopkins favourites. She has kept rats as house pets and likes them because they are sociable and quick to learn. But she has a different relationship to the animals she works with than to her own house pets.
“I don´t allow myself to become attached to laboratory animals in the same way as I become attached to my dogs. We have also had sheep at home, which we raised and butchered. And of course it is sad when an old sheep dies. But nevertheless it´s different than with house pets that are close to your heart."
As a child, Katarina Cvek-Hopkins had rabbits and guinea pigs; when she became older she liked horses and dogs. Directly after secondary school she began working as a laboratory animal technician. Later she studied to become a domestic animal agronomist. Her intention was to work as an advisor to farmers, but she soon realised it did not suit her.
Began to do research
Instead she decided to do research. She studied the mechanisms of milk production and worked, e.g. with goats at the centre for domestic animal sciences. By the time she became the supervisor there she had also worked as a teacher, at both an upper secondary school (Natural Resource Use Programme) and at a university.
“It feels like I´ve come full circle. When I began working as a laboratory animal technician in 1995 I reacted to the animals´ conditions. Then I gave the animals water and food on Fridays and they were on their own until Monday. Today I work to ensure that they are treated better," she says.
Engaged on behalf of the animals
As animal welfare supervisor, Katarina Cvek-Hopkins is responsible to ensure that conditions for the animals are satisfactory and that the laws are followed. She visits the animal department and talks with the animal technicians at regular intervals to see that everything is in order. She is also responsible for signing the applications to the Ethical Committee on Animal Experiments, so she has regular contact with the principal investigators at the department.
“I view my work with ethical applications to be my most important duty as animal welfare supervisor. I do not simply sign off on the applications, but often question what the principal investigators have proposed."
Develops cages
The job of animal welfare supervisor is not a full-time job for Katarina Cvek-Hopkins. Mainly, she is responsible for laboratory animals for all of SLU. For example, she travels around to different universities and holds courses on laboratory animal sciences. In addition, she conducts her own research. Her current project is to study how the cages for laboratory rats can be better adapted to the needs of the animal.
“The cages are so low today. In contrast to mice, adult rats do not climb up and down in the cage, nor can they stand on their hind legs and stretch, which is a natural behaviour."
Likes rats
Without question, the rats are Katarina Cvek-Hopkins favourites. She has kept rats as house pets and likes them because they are sociable and quick to learn. But she has a different relationship to the animals she works with than to her own house pets.
“I don´t allow myself to become attached to laboratory animals in the same way as I become attached to my dogs. We have also had sheep at home, which we raised and butchered. And of course it is sad when an old sheep dies. But nevertheless it´s different than with house pets that are close to your heart."
Text: Karl-Johan Börjesson
Responsible for content: Mats Ulfendahl, Secretary General of Medicine and health, Swedish Research Council.
Editor: Peter Tillhammar, Swedish Research Council. Contact: Send email to the editorial staff.
Editor: Peter Tillhammar, Swedish Research Council. Contact: Send email to the editorial staff.
