Workshop Opening Remarks

On behalf of the workshop planning committee, Anne Maglia (workshop planning committee co-chair and Institute for Laboratory Animal Research [ILAR] Council member) welcomed workshop participants. Maglia said that over the course of the 2-day workshop, participants could expect to hear from an outstanding array of experts in animal welfare, veterinary medicine, wildlife research, and animal welfare policy. She acknowledged and thanked the workshop planning committee members for their commitment to this workshop, especially workshop planning committee co-chair and Standing Committee member Robert S. Sikes. Also, Maglia thanked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies), the ILAR Council, the Roundtable on Science and Welfare in Laboratory Animal Use, and the Standing Committee for the Care and Use of Animals in Research. Maglia expressed appreciation for the support of the dedicated National Academies staff team.

Although the presentations were pre-recorded, the speakers were present for the broadcast of their talks, and questions were posted to them in real time through the presentation interface. Members of the Standing Committee moderated a live Synthesis Session at the end of Day One and Day Two in which session moderators highlighted content from their sessions, including some of the most interesting and important questions. The results of this workshop will provide insights for many entities on wildlife research, including the Standing Committee, as they engage with animal research stakeholder communities on the content of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Maglia thanked the workshop speakers, moderators, and participants. Maglia expressed her confidence that the workshop would be transformative for the welfare of wild animals in research and educational settings.