Table 4.

General recommendations for improvement in each category based on the results of the 2022 Primate Welfare Assessment Tool benchmarking exercise

Physical	Behavioural	Environmental	Training	Procedural	Culture of care
-Monitor animal physical condition at a facility level over time to identify recurring issues and gaps in health monitoring programmes -Institute a subcommittee on pain management to review and update species-specific protocols	-Provide more primate-specific training on normal and abnormal behaviours -Be proactive in behavioural assessments to prevent abnormal behaviours from developing -Implement more social group management and compatibility assessments -Provide more employee training on affiliative and agonistic behaviours -Habituate primates to being separated from social partners during procedures -Encourage natural feeding behaviours, and provide improved opportunities for foraging and/or using other devices that encourage primates to work and explore to obtain food	-Adopt pen-style housing -Maximise vertical space for cage-style housing (i.e. balconies, tunnels) -Add additional furnishings such as visual barriers, high level perches, and swings -Add resources that promote comfort, natural behaviour, and stimulation (i.e. natural materials, thermoneutral surfaces, foraging opportunities, sensory and cognitive stimulation) -Provide opportunities for exercise outside of the home environment (especially for cage-style housing)	-Provide animals with 14-day acclimation period upon arrival before study activities begin -Develop formalised training protocols for habituating primates to study procedures using positive reinforcement training to encourage co-operation and decrease stress -Develop formalised process for monitoring animal progress and maintaining training throughout their time at the facility -Regularly evaluate training programmes for effectiveness -Personnel working with primates should be trained in use of operant conditioning techniques	-Implement habituation and positive reinforcement training protocols to improve animal comfort and compliance with restraint for procedures -Improve comfort and engagement for restraint devices -Refine techniques for repeat blood collections (e.g. use a catheter, peripheral vessels, microsampling, and/or monitor and rotate vein usage) -Minimise noise during procedures -Maximise space efficiency in procedural area -Avoid personnel rushing during procedures through thoughtful scheduling	-Provide more primate-specific educational opportunities during work hours -Provide more resources on compassion fatigue and resiliency building and advertise existing internal programmes -Involve personnel in primate resource evaluation and study refinement discussions -Allow personnel time for positive interactions with animals outside of study functions -Regularly evaluate employee recognition programmes to ensure personnel feel valued