Most discussion on the welfare of laboratory animals focuses on harm reduction, including methods of handling and euthanasia that are less likely to cause pain or distress. UBC researchers are now trying to change the focus to what constitutes “a good life” for lab animals. This week Dan Weary delivered the Keynote Address on this topic for the 52nd Annual Symposium of the Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science.This presentation highlighted the work of AWP researchers Johanne Makowska and Joyce Sato-Reinhold and illustrated innovative methods of housing, handling and interacting with laboratory animals – changes that result in these animals exhibiting far more natural behaviour and interacting with caregivers freely and positively.