Animal Welfare INSIGHTS

The Laboratory Rat is a classic reference book found on the shelves of many researchers worldwide. The third edition of this reference is now available and it's been completely refreshed since the second edition was published in 2005. Sponsored by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM), this text is considered the definitive reference on care of the laboratory rat. The third edition clocks in at...  Read More

The word rodent is derived from the Latin word rodere, which means "to gnaw". This process of gnawing brings to light common dental maladies that are of paramount importance to animal welfare. One specific condition is called malocclusion, which is caused by the misalignment of the incisors and may involve overgrowth of the molars or cheek teeth. If untreated, teeth will overgrow and prevent the rodent from...  Read More

Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD) will be held virtually on April 16th this year due to event postponements from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. BRAD is sponsored by Americans for Medical Progress (AMP). This initiative is committed to educating students and the public on the importance of biomedical research and the humane use of animals. The goal is to educate people about the vital role animals play in...  Read More

The natural behavior of mice includes burrowing, foraging, exploring, gnawing, and nest building. These behaviors are essential to the well-being of the animal, and if prevented from performing these activities mice may engage in non-productive repetitive behaviors1,2. Prevention from responding to their natural inclinations could result in undue stress for the animal, possibly impacting their health and increasing stress-related hormone levels. Due to their importance in maintaining...  Read More

Welcoming a new cohort of animals into your facility can be very exciting for the research team; this is, unfortunately, very stressful for the animals. Stress induced by transportation, cage changes, initial weigh-ins, and changes in food and watering systems is very common when animals are introduced to a new facility. Stressed animals are more susceptible to secondary illnesses and can have elevated hormone levels for up...  Read More

In the spirit of Russell and Burch's 3Rs, scientists are developing new tools and methodologies to reduce the use of animal models wherever possible. A very good example is the rasH2™ mouse model, which was developed as an alternative to the traditional, two-year carcinogenicity testing of compounds for mutagenic and non-mutagenic chemically- induced tumor formation. Transgenic Mice as an Ethical Alternative The rasH2™ mouse was developed in...  Read More

Designing your animal model studies with the 3Rs in mind — Replace, Reduce, Refine — is not only more humane, but can measurably improve the quality and efficiency of your research projects. When we think of improving quality in the life sciences, we might immediately jump to poorly calibrated equipment, expired reagents, or utilizing unvalidated processes. It is obvious that these will have a negative effect on...  Read More