Housing and husbandry

Animal Research Review Panel housing guidelines can be found at the link to Animal Care.

Mice

Refining Rodent Husbandry: The Mouse

This report is the third in the workshop series. It describes ways in which existing husbandry and care of mice can be improved with the emphasis on providing environments that allow animals to express a wide range of behaviours.
http://www.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/researchanimals/implementing3rs/refinement 

Rabbits

Refinements in Rabbit Husbandry

Second report of the BVA/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW joint working group on refinement. This report describes ways in which the current systems of housing rabbits can be improved by group housing or by enriching the environment of individual cages.
http://www.lal.org.uk/index.php/education-a-training 

RSPCA UK Refining rabbit care

A report providing practical guidance on refining laboratory rabbit husbandry.
www.rspca.org.uk/researchrabbits 

Birds

Laboratory Birds:  Refinements in Husbandry and Procedures

This, the fifth report of the BVA/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW joint working group on refinement, is a most useful and comprehensive guide for those using a range of avian species in the laboratory.  In addition to a general section which covers such issues as avian diversity, the brain and senses, obtaining eggs or birds, transport, nutrition, catching and handling, housing and husbandry and routine procedures e.g. blood collection, operative care, analgesia and euthanasia, there is an extensive section devoted to specific species e.g. seabirds, ducks and geese, birds of prey, domestic fowl, quail, and pigeons.
www.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/researchanimals/implementing3rs/refinement 

Marmosets

Common Marmoset Care

A website on the care and management of common marmosets: http://marmosetcare.com

Health Monitoring

FELASA recommendations for the health monitoring of breeding colonies and experimental units of cats, dogs and pigs.
www.lal.org.uk/pdffiles/LAfel1.PDF

FELASA recommendations for the health monitoring of mouse, rat, hamster, gerbil, guineapig and rabbit experimental units.
www.lal.org.uk/pdffiles/LAfel2.PDF

Supplement on Health Monitoring (Laboratory Animals 33, 2, Supplement 1, 1999)
www.lal.org.uk/supplement.html

Animal Facilities

Guidelines on Laboratory Animal Facilities - Characteristics, Design and Development (2003)

Published by the Canadian Council on Animal Care this comprehensive document is a very useful resource for those involved in the development, evaluation or refurbishment of animal facilities. It sets out a clear and logical approach which will facilitate planning and enable an informed assessment to be made. Download the document (1.8 mb, PDF)

Transport

Guidelines for the humane transportation of research animals

The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research has recently published a comprehensive guide for transporting animals to be used for scientific purposes. Developed by a specialist committee of ILAR, with input from individuals with industry experience and expertise and peer-reviewed before final publication, this guide, whilst written with a focus on the situation in the USA, is a valuable resource as an international guideline.

The guide reviews both national (USA) and international regulations and guidelines which relate to the transportation of animals used in research. Developing science-based good practices was a major focus of the drafting committee.

However, noting the very limited literature available on the effects of transportation on laboratory animals, the extensive literature on agriculture animals was used to develop the basic principles; knowledge of species needs and differences were then taken into account in the development of the recommendations set out in this guide.

Topics discussed include, stress during transport, the implications of allometric scaling, thermal environment, space allocation, food and water, social interaction, group transport, handling, monitoring, emergency procedures, personnel training and biosecurity.

The guide can be purchased from the National Academies Press and is available electronically at www.nap.edu/catalog/11557.html

General

The Virtual Vivarium
A website dedicated to management innovations in laboratory animal care: www.virtualvivarium.com

Council of Europe - Appendix A

Council of Europe guidelines for the accommodation and care of animals used for scientific purposes.
http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/PDF/123-Arev.pdf

RSPCA UK reports and resources on animal care

Various guidelines produced by the RSPCA UK on the care and management of laboratory animals.
www.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/researchanimals/reportsandresources/housingandcare