Is social housing required for nonhuman primates when housed in a research setting?
Housing of nonhuman primates in social settings (pairs or groups) is the requirement of the USDA regulations (9 CFR Ch. 1, Part 3, Subpart D) and single housing is the exception. Exemptions to the social housing requirement must be based on strong scientific justification approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or for a specific veterinary or behavioral reason. Lack of appropriate caging does not constitute an acceptable justification for exemption.
