The Planning Stage

Setting Goals and Planning are closely linked components. In Setting Goals, teams review the natural history, individual history, and husbandry constraints and generate enrichment ideas. These ideas are then prioritized resulting in a list of enrichment initiatives to be developed (from Table 1). The Planning stage includes submitting these ideas to the appropriate staff members for approval. At Disney's Animal Programs, the approval process involves an initial review by the team manager; s/he approves it directly, or, if there are any concerns, the approval process form is forwarded to area curator, curator of behavioral husbandry, veterinarian and/or nutritionist for their review. The team also discusses what resources are necessary to provide the enrichment (e.g., to build a puzzle feeder). Table 2 is meant to serve as a guide to planning enrichment initiatives.

Enrichment Approval Process

Linked here is a copy of the enrichment approval request form developed at Disney’s Animal Programs which may serve as an example for institutions developing their own approval process form. Keepers must fill out this form before implementing enrichment. The form also addresses potential safety concerns. It will assure that:

There is communication between keepers, and approval from managers, curators, veterinarians and/or the nutritionist for the enrichment ideas described.

If these forms are stored, new keepers can easily be aware of which enrichment ideas have been approved or not approved. If any enrichment initiatives are not given approval, we recommend keeping a record of these initiatives as well as a complete explanation as to why they are not approved (e.g., safety concerns). This information will be very useful for new animal care staff or other institutions.

Safety Concerns

Safety is always a concern when developing enrichment ideas. Below is a checklist that may help in reviewing safety issues:

• Can an animal get cut by, caught up in, hung up on, or trapped inside of exhibit structure or device?
  
• Can enrichment item be used as a ‘weapon’ against a conspecific?
  
• Can it be thrown as a projectile out of the enclosure (e.g., injuring the public or staff members)?
  
• Can enrichment item be used to damage/destroy the exhibit?
  
• Can item be dropped on or can it fall on a conspecific?
  
• Can it cause a gut impaction or linear obstruction if eaten?
  
• Can it lead to an escape?
  
• Can it lead to aggression?

Basic Safety Considerations

• When building an object with wood, use screws and non-toxic glue instead of nails. Round off corners and sand objects generously so there are no splinter or rough edges.
  
• Only use non-toxic paints.
  
• Use natural materials like cotton, wool hemp or sisal. Plastics or nylon should be used with caution.
  
• When using chains to hang objects, they should be single link, short as possible, covered with PVC sheath if necessary and include swivels at points of attachment.
  
• Cardboard boxes must be free of staples or plastic tapes.
  
• Paper bags must be free of strings, plastic or inner liners.
  
• Toys must be free of small, removable parts that might be swallowed. Choose toys appropriate for each animal.
  
• Make sure that any animal parts (e.g., hides) or excretions (e.g., urine or feces ) have been approved by veterinarians before being used as enrichment.

(Safety issues taken from Wildlife Conservation Society, New York document)

When discussing the risks of enrichment, it is also important to discuss the potential benefits of providing that enrichment initiative. Providing any initiative to animals has some risk associated with it, but since many of these initiatives are of great benefit to the animals and their welfare, then this small risk is ‘acceptable risk’. Where possible, enrichment initiatives should be of low risk to the animal, but of high benefit. Determining what ‘acceptable risk’ is requires knowledge not only of an animal’s natural history, but also its individual history. Determination of “acceptable risk” should be a discussion among the decision makers.