Are They Justified Animal Welfare Information Center Newsletter, Spring 1995, Vol. Being forcefully deprived of companionship is therefore one of the most dreaded punishments. Socially housed animals are at greater health risk than individually housed animals. They suffer distress from being constantly exposed to companionship.
Subordinate animals become undernourished because of food competition.
Pair-housed animals become bored of one another. Social housing interferes with research protocols. Pairs were split due to aggression in 3 percent of cases. Partners were separated in 6 percent of cases because one of them seriously aggressed the other. Pair housing effectively avoids the typical aggression problems of group housing.