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Refinement Alternatives
Housing and Care
The quality of housing and husbandry has a major impact on laboratory animal health and welfare.
There is an expanding body of scientific literature to demonstrate that environments that do not
meet animals' physical, behavioural and/or social needs can result in changes in physiology and
the development of abnormal behaviour (e.g., stereotypies). These changes may compromise animal
welfare and also influence the validity and reproducibility of the scientific data obtained.
Housing and husbandry should allow animals to perform the widest possible range of normal,
species-typical behaviour. Consideration should be given not only to the quality of accommodation,
but also to the quantity of space provided, and emphasis should be placed on exceeding minimum
requirements.
Different species have different requirements, and a sound knowledge of natural history and behaviour
is essential if appropriate accommodation is to be provided. It is important to also take account
of the animal's age, health and reproductive status, and the impact of scientific procedures, as
all of these can influence what is optimal housing and husbandry. As part of the implementation of
refinement, regular review of accommodation and husbandry practices is essential to ensure
improvements are made where necessary.
(This section has been adapted from the NC3Rs website)
For more information on housing and care, the following resources may be useful:
CCAC resources
Online resources
- Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). Database on Refinement of Housing and Handling Conditions
and Environmental Enrichment for Animals kept in Laboratories (Rodents, Rabbits, Cats,
Dogs, Ferrets, Farm Animals, Horses Birds, Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles).
- Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). Environmental Enrichment for Primates: Annotated Database
on Environmental Enrichment and Refinement of Husbandry for Nonhuman Primates.
- Council of Europe (2006) Guidelines for accommodation and care of animals. Appendix A of
the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental
and Other Scientific Purposes.
- This document includes species-specific information for rodents,
rabbits, cats, dogs, ferrets, non-human primates, farm animals,
mini-pigs, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish.
- NSW Department of Primary Industries. Animal Research Review Panel (2008) Guidelines for the housing of rats in scientific institutions.
Other publications
- Reinhardt V. (2004) Common husbandry-related variables in biomedical research with
animals. Laboratory Animals 38: 213-35.
- Reinhardt V. & Reinhardt A. (eds.) (2002) Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals, 9th ed. 114pp. Washington DC: Animal Welfare Institute.
- Poole T (ed.) (1999) UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory
Animals Volumes 1 & 2, 7th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science
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