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Reduction Alternatives
Animal re-use strategies
Re-using animals as a reduction strategy has been promoted with caution by animal welfare advocates because
of the potential of increased harm to individual animals. The possibility of re-use is also affected by the
size of animals; for instance mice and rats can provide only limited blood samples and often need to be
sacrificed to examine tissues. Re-use of larger animals such as dogs and primates is more common. The advent
of newer and less invasive methods of analysis, such as telemetry and imaging technologies, is also
increasing the possibility of re-using animals. However, the effects on individual animal welfare must
be considered on a case-by-case basis before this type of approach can be advocated.
Occasionally, animals that have been used for a study and have not been subjected to invasive procedures may
be used for a further scientific study. As well, a second major surgery may be performed on an animal if it
is a non-survival procedure. Minor procedures such as biopsies may be performed more than once, but only if
they can be done with effective anesthesia and analgesia and do not significantly impact the well-being of
the animal. Re-use of animals for invasive procedures for reasons related to convenience and cost savings
are never appropriate.
For more information on re-using animals the following resources may be useful:
CCAC resources
Other publications:
- Broadhead C., Betton G., Combes R., Damment S., Everett D., Garner C., Godsafe Z., Healing G., Heywood R., Jennings M.,
Lumley C., Oliver G., Smith D., Straughan D., Topham J., Wallis R., Wilson S. & Buckley P. (2000) Prospects for
reducing and refining the use of dogs in regulatory toxicity testing of pharmaceuticals. Experimental Toxicology
19:440-447.
- Silverman J. (2008) Protocol review: collaborative studies and animal reuse. Lab Animal 37:61-63.
- Discussion of the merits of an animal-use protocol submitted to a US animal care committee.
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