Building a Culture of Care in Laboratory Animal Science through practicing “remembrance”: A reflection on local practices in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Remembrance activities can support the Culture of Care (CoC) in Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) not only by promoting a culture of respect, gratitude and thankfulness for animal life but also by helping the emotional processing and healing of lab animal researchers and animal facility staff. Even though remembrance activities are practiced in many parts of the world, we did not come across any reported cases in Sri Lanka before 2022. Therefore, here, we report on the various remembrance activities and practices observed within our local scientific community.

This flowchart shows how remembrance activities create space for emotional reflection, helping individuals respect and acknowledge their feelings about working with lab animals, and enhance team commitment to improve lab animal welfare. This emotional awareness can reduce compassion fatigue fueled by cultural and religious beliefs and promote human welfare. Altogether, these outcomes reinforce and sustain a “Culture of Care” within research and animal care environments, leading to good science. Good science ultimately serves both animals and humans.

1. INTRODUCTION

Culture of Care (CoC) in Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) refers to improving animal and staff welfare, transparency for the stakeholders, and scientific quality. ¹ The establishment of CoC in an institution needs the effective implementation of the 3Rs concept, good leadership, proper communication, having a good system in place, etc. ² In addition to the 3Rs in LAS, incorporating additional “R”s; Responsibility, Reproducibility, Retirement, Rehabilitation, and Remembrance can strengthen the CoC, and promote ethical research, in an institution.

Remembrance events help people to recognize and acknowledge the importance of lab animals in scientific and medical research establishing a culture of respect, thankfulness, and compassion not only for lab animals, but also for all. Moreover, remembrance activities enable researchers to reflect on the ethical nature of their work and encourage responsible research practices, creating a more conscientious research environment. Remembrance activities could also help the researcher to reduce “Compassion fatigue” by channeling such feelings in a more possitive direction. Furthermore, killing animals is considered a sin in many cultures and performing meritorious acts of remembrance can help to reduce the guilt and ease the souls of the personnel engaged in animal research.

2. REMEMBRANCE ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED

2.1. Alms giving to evoke blessings

Sri Lanka, a country with a predominantly Buddhist heritage and traditions, is deeply influenced by the values upheld in Theravada Buddhism. Among these, gratitude (Kataññutā in Paḷi) and thankfulness hold significant importance. ³ In lab animal remembrance Kataññutā is the feeling of thankfulness for benefits received from lab animals or for services rendered. Katavedi is the expression or manifestation of this feeling. ³ Rooted in Buddhist teachings, these virtues are widely practiced and reflected in the daily lives of the people.

Practicing Kataññutā, the first‐ever remembrance activity in Sri Lanka, was envisioned by a research team (Figure 1B) who used animals for their Postgraduate research work at the Animal Facility of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ) on the 7^th December 2022 (Uduvap Full Moon Poya Day). Buddhists offer alms (“Dana” in Pāḷi) to Buddhist bhikkus to transfer Merits (Pattidana) and evoke blessings for their close relatives who have passed away. Similarly, to express the feeling of gratitude (Katavedi) to the laboratory animals who were sacrificed for the benefit of teaching, learning, and scientific research for that particular postgraduate study, and also to remember all lab animals sacrificed for the benefit of humankind, an almsgiving was organized by the research team in collaboration with the members of the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science (SLALAS) and the researchers and the staff of the animal facility, USJ (Figure 1A–C). Since 2022, this activity has been conducted annually at USJ, and more individuals have joined in, recognizing the significance of the practice (Figure 1D,E).

FIGURE 1.

First documented remembrance activity in Sri Lanka. (A) Preachings by Buddhist Bhikkus after offering the Dana during the 2022 alms giving. (B) The research team who performed lab animal research as a part of their Pg. Diploma in Lab Animal Science. Left to right: Dr. Kalpani Ratnayake, Dr. Sachini Amarasekara, Professor Mangala Gunatilake (supervisor), Dr. Ureshani Karunaratne, Ms. Piumika Yapa, and Dr. Anusha Senevirathna. (C) The participants: SLALAS members, Animal Facility staff, Staff of University of Sri Jayewardenepura. (D, E) Dana ceremony 2025.

2.2. Symbolic tree planting ceremony

The Asian Laboratory Animal Day (29^th November) was announced by the Asian Federation of Laboratory Animal Science (AFLAS), in September 2024, and to commemorate the first Sri Lankan Asian Laboratory Animal Day, SLALAS in collaboration with the University of Colombo, and the Base for the Enthusiasts in Environment Science and Zoology (BEEZ) conducted a symbolic tree planting ceremony at the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo on the 29^th of November 2024. The tree was planted by the Vice‐Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Senior Professor (Chair) H. D. Karunaratne in the presence of the Executive Committee members of SLALAS, faculty members, and BEEZ members (Figure 2A,B). Trees represent life, growth, and renewal, and can become a living tribute, growing over time, symbolizing the enduring legacy of these animals. Planting a symbolic tree is a meaningful way to commemorate laboratory animals as it holds greater long‐term value than a monument dedicated to the same cause. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first‐ever living monument dedicated to commemorating laboratory animals in Asia, and possibly even the world.

FIGURE 2.

The symbolic tree planting ceremony and opening of the Laboratory Animal Science Corner. (A) Vice‐Chancellor of the University of Colombo Senior Professor (Chair) H. D. Karunaratne planting the tree, supported by Dr. Sachini Amarasekara (President/SLALAS), Professor Mangala Gunatilake (Founding President of SLALAS and Director of the 3Rs Centre), Professor Nihal Dayawansa, Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, University of Colombo and Mr. Pasindu Gunawardana (President of BEEZ). (B) The Maila tree with the plaque. (C) Opening of the Laboratory Animal Science Corner at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. The book collection and the Mace of the Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science. (D) Professor Mangala Gunatilake showing over‐70‐year‐old teaching material used for teaching physiology. (E) Guests observing the Laboratory Animal Science Corner.

Bauhinia racemosa (Lam.), known as Maila in the local language, was selected as a suitable tree to symbolize this important event. Maila, known for its potential value in the field of ethnopharmacology and phytomedicine, ⁴ not only supports wildlife like sunbirds and grizzled giant squirrels, ⁵ but also grows into a large shrub within a few years, providing shade for people to rest and birds to nest. Moreover, a tree improves air quality, supports biodiversity, and helps to combat climate change, making it a sustainable and meaningful choice. This also embodies the One Health concept, highlighting the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment. Furthermore, the participation of BEEZ, a student society based in the Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, reinforces a sense of shared responsibility and collective action in upholding ethical scientific practices and ensuring these values are carried forward into the future.

2.3. Opening of a Laboratory Animal Corner

A lab animal museum could serve as an important teaching, learning, ethical, and cultural resource. It could both commemorate the role of animals in scientific discovery and spark important conversations about the future of research and animal welfare.

In commemoration of Asia Laboratory Animal Day, SLALAS, in collaboration with the 3Rs Centre, inaugurated a Laboratory Animal Science Corner at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo on the 29^th of November 2024. The event included the participation of the Dean of the Faculty, Senior Professor Vidya Jyothi Vajira H. W. Dissanayake, who graced the occasion as the chief guest (Figure 2C–E). The Laboratory Animal Science Corner is a unique initiative that houses a museum and a book collection, both of which serve to highlight the significant history of and contributions to laboratory animal science in Sri Lanka. Professor Hemali Goonasekara, a representative from the 3Rs Centre Council, Executive Committee members of SLALAS, Professor Lakmali Amarasiri (Head of the Department of Physiology), Professor A. D. A. Fernando, and Dr. Nilanka Wickramasinghe and a few non‐academic staff members also joined this event. This Laboratory Animal Science Corner will serve as a valuable educational resource for students, faculty, and researchers.

3. CONCLUSION

As highlighted previously, Culture of Care in Lab Animal Science focuses not only on animal welfare but also on the welfare of the personnel involved. While promoting respect, thankfulness, and gratitude towards animals, remembrance activities will also help the people involved in lab animal research to deal with compassion fatigue or the moral and ethical challenges that were previously referred to as “microethics”. ⁶ Therefore, remembrance activities are a good catalyst for promoting CoC. However, there are no reported cases of remembrance activities in Sri Lanka until 2022, even though countries like Thailand with similar Theravada Buddhism have had Annual Sang‐kha‐than ceremonies, where monks donate merit to the research animals that died during the year, for decades. ⁷ Moreover, our research (unpublished data) shows that over 70% of the local personnel involved in lab animal research have low or moderate knowledge about remembrance and its potential benefits. Since 2022, remembrance has gained recognition and continues to be integrated alongside other ethical laboratory animal practices. It is expected that institutions and researchers will embrace this practice and engage in these activities, supporting the concept of CoC. Moving forward, the expansion of remembrance activities across Sri Lanka is expected to contribute significantly to a deeper ethical culture in laboratory animal research, ensuring that scientific progress is pursued with compassion and responsibility.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

A. D. D. S. Amarasekara: Conceptualization; funding acquisition; project administration; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing. K. A. A. U. Karunarathna: Conceptualization; methodology; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing. W. M. K. M. Ratnayake: Methodology; writing – review and editing. A. A. I. Senevirathne: Methodology; writing – review and editing. P. Yapa: Methodology; writing – review and editing. M. Gunatilake: Supervision; writing – review and editing.

FUNDING INFORMATION

The author(s) received no financial support for authorship, and/or publication of this article.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests. A. D. D. S. Amarasekara and M. Gunatilake are editorial board members of Animal Models and Experimental Medicine (AMEM) and authors of this article. To minimize bias, they were excluded from all editorial decision making related to the acceptance of this article for publication.

ETHICS STATEMENT

Our study did not require ethical board approval or consent to participate because it did not contain human or animal trials.

CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION

All authors consent to publish this article.

CONSENT TO USE PHOTOS

Consent has been obtained from all individuals featured in the captioned photographs, and permission has been granted for the use of these photos from the respective owners.

Amarasekara ADDS, Karunarathna KAAU, Ratnayake WMKM, Senevirathne AAI, Yapa P, Gunatilake M. Building a Culture of Care in Laboratory Animal Science through practicing “remembrance”: A reflection on local practices in Sri Lanka. Anim Models Exp Med. 2025;8:1725‐1728. doi: 10.1002/ame2.70070

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data and material supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.