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Animal Supply
Animals used in science are obtained from a variety of sources including agricultural organizations,
commercial breeders, in-house breeding programs, the wild, and in some provinces, animal shelters
(not all provinces permit acquisition from animal shelters). Factors related to the acquisition of
animals can influence the implementation of reduction and refinement. Use of high quality animals
(i.e. free from pathogenic organisms and environmentally induced stress, and genetically defined where
possible) is essential in order to reduce animal use without compromising the scientific objective of
the study. Animal supply choices also affect the implementation of refinement in an experimental
protocol. For example, an animal's experiences during the developmental phases determine social
behaviour, and this will impact the animal's future well-being under the housing conditions in a
breeding facility.
In addition, each species will have a unique set of requirements in terms of transportation,
quarantine, acclimation and conditioning, and it is recommended that relevant CCAC guidelines be
consulted, as well as appropriate experts and literature for the species under consideration.
Agricultural Animals
Additional considerations may apply when obtaining animals from suppliers whose primary role is
not to provide animals for scientific use, such as agricultural organizations. When acquiring
animals of unknown origin, or from stockyards or farms, an assessment of the health status of the
herd or flock should be undertaken. Following acquisition, animals should be quarantined in
accordance with established SOPs, in order to minimize the spread of diseases to other animals
in the facility.
Purchase of pre-conditioned cattle (weaned, castrated, vaccinated at least 30 days prior to sale,
and having prior feed bunk experience) is recommended to reduce animal distress and ensure
efficacy of vaccinations. Where possible polled cattle should be used. If this is not possible,
cattle that have been humanely de-horned (i.e. with the use of anesthetics and analgesics) as part
of their conditioning should be obtained. Horned cattle should not be purchased. If cattle must
undergo dehorning at the research institution, it must be done prior to 3 months of age using
appropriate pain control methods. Branded cattle should not be purchased—branding is a very
painful and invasive procedure and alternative means of identifying cattle should be used. (More
information and resources about these procedures can be found in the Agricultural Research and
Three Rs section of the microsite).
In the case of poultry, it is important to obtain information on the conditions in which they
have been hatched and reared, so that any distress caused by removal to a different environment
can be minimized by making changes gradually. Husbandry and welfare standards in place at the
supplier should be at least as good as those at the institution in which the birds will be used.
For short-term studies where contact with humans is limited and/or the variables under
investigation are less affected by animal distress from handling and related procedures, it may
be appropriate to buy or catch adult birds. However, for long-term projects that involve close
contact between birds and humans, it may be preferable to rear birds from hatch and imprint them
on an object or animal attendant to decrease the birds' psychological distress and fear of humans.
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Commercial Breeders of Animals Used in Science
Commercial businesses that specialize in breeding animals for use in science are a common source of
many animal species. Animals should only be obtained from reputable suppliers. Investigators and their
institutions can satisfy themselves that their commercial suppliers operate to high standards of
welfare by visiting and auditing breeding and supplying establishments and asking for improvements
where necessary. Participation in the CCAC Program or in accreditation programs may also provide
assurance of high standards of welfare. Preconditioned animals should be purchased whenever possible
(the aim of a conditioning program is to ensure that the animals are suitable to begin the research,
teaching or testing). Close communication between breeding/supplying establishments and user
institutions is important to:
- balance supply and demand so that surplus animals are not produced;
- minimize stress involved in transport and relocation; and
- ensure continuity of husbandry and care.
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In-house animal breeding colonies should only be established when absolutely necessary. They should
have high standards of animal care and be carefully managed to anticipate need, consistent with the
principle of reduction.
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Non purpose-bred dogs and cats include animals that have been obtained from pounds and animal shelters,
animals that have been loaned or donated to institutions for the purposes of training veterinary technicians
and veterinary students, and dogs that have been obtained as surplus to other activities, such as racing or
sled pulling. Some prior uses of these animals may mean that they are not well socialized. In this case,
they should only be used in procedures that do not involve significant handling of the conscious animal;
the duration of stay in the facility before use should be minimized and pre-determined by the local animal
care committee; and these animals should only be used for terminal procedures.
Institutions must only obtain non purpose-bred dogs and cats where there is a well-defined arrangement with
the management of the organization supplying them. Unless dictated by an approved protocol, it is almost
always preferable to obtain standard laboratory species from an established breeder or supplier.
There are scientific and welfare reasons for using purpose-bred animals and animals that have been prepared
for use in science. Animals from pounds (non purpose-bred) have unknown genotypes, behavioural experiences
and disease profiles. The pathophysiological changes that may be associated with parasitism, chronic
infections and poor nutritional status frequently encountered in an unconditioned animal, constitute an
uncontrolled experimental variable. This may distort the results obtained and affect repeatability and
interpretation. In contrast, the use of a purpose-bred animal with a well-defined health status keeps the
number of animals to a minimum (reduction). Purpose-bred animals should always be used for regulatory testing.
Purpose-bred animals experience fewer negative welfare states than non purpose-bred animals. This is because
they are accustomed from birth to life in a laboratory environment, and have likely always received proper
veterinary and nutritional care and socialization with humans. In addition, they are often habituated or
trained (conditioned) to experimental procedures (e.g., blood sampling). In contrast, non purpose-bred
animals are not familiar with these procedures and may experience greater amounts of psychological distress
(e.g., fear and anxiety).
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Investigators collecting wild animals should observe and pass on to students and employees a strict ethic of
habitat conservation and respectful treatment of all animals. Investigators should select the method that has
the least impact on the animals and on the local ecosystem, and is the safest for all concerned. Before
initiating field projects involving capture, investigators should:
- obtain the necessary permits;
- be familiar with the study species, its response to disturbance, and its sensitivity to capture and restraint;
- be familiar with the advantages and drawbacks of available methods of live capture;
- ensure the proposed capture method is effective and suited to the species and situation, will minimize distress and injury to the study animals, and will minimize capture of non-target species;
- be trained in the correct use of the selected method or technique;
- take measures to avoid the removal of animals with dependent young from the wild; and
- develop a plan to protect the welfare of the animals at the end of the study.
(This section was adapted from material on the NC3Rs website and CCAC guidance documents)
For more information on animal supply the following resources may be useful:
CCAC resources
Online resources
- Hawkins P., Morton D.B., Cameron D., Cuthill I., Francis R., Freire R., Gosler A., Healy S., Hudson A.,
Inglis I., Jones A., Kirkwood J., Lawton M., Monaghan P., Sherwin C. & Townsend P. (2001) Laboratory birds:
refinements in husbandry and procedures.
Laboratory Animals
35: S1-163
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) (2007)
Preparation of Animals for Use in the Laboratory, theme
issue. ILAR 47 (4).
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) Databases and Repositories of Laboratory
Animal Models and Strains.
- The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)
Mouse Databases.
- This website has a comprehensive list of mouse databases organized by sub-topic (e.g., transgenic and
knockout), with a brief description of the information in each database.
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