Ethics of Research involving animals
Reduction - continuation VI
Overcoming constraints
12.28 Thus, overcoming the constraints and improving the implementation of Refinement requires significant commitment to:
- an open-minded, innovative and proactive approach to developing new Refinements;
- seeking out available information on good practice and implementing it;
- knowing the animals physiological and behavioural needs and being aware of current evidence on how to address these in the laboratory environment;
- anticipating expected and unintended adverse effects of all experimental work;
- being familiar with subtle signs of distress or discomfort in the species, strain, phenotype and individual animal, and knowing how to alleviate the cause;
- disseminating specific information on Refinement in an accessible way;
- publishing details of Refinement as an integral part of scientific papers in the mainstream literature; and
- most importantly, not assuming that existing practice is necessarily best practice.
31 Mortell N (2001) Practical environmental enrichment for rats and mice (the results of a survey) Anim Technol 52: 119.
32 Richardson CA, Flecknell PA (2005) Anaesthesia and post-operative Analgesia Following Experimental Surgery in Laboratory
Rodents: Are we making Progress? ATLA 33: 119127.
33 This group was set up by the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA/AWF), FRAME, the RSPCA and UFAW.
34 Morton DB, Abbot D, Barclay R et al. (1993) Removal of blood from laboratory mammals and birds Lab Anim 27: 122;
Morton DB, Jennings M, Batchelor GR et al. (1993) Refinements in rabbit husbandry Lab Anim 27: 30129
35 Jennings M, Batchelor GR, Brain PF et al. (1998) Refinements in mouse husbandry Lab Anim 32: 23359.
36 Hawkins P, Morton DB, Cameron D et al. (2001) Refinements in husbandry and procedures for laboratory birds Lab Anim 35,
Supplement 1: 1163.
37 Prescott MJ, Morton DB, Anderson D et al. (2004) Refining dog husbandry and care: Eighth report of the
BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint working Group on Refinement. Lab Anim 38 Suppl 1:194
38 Morton DB, Abbot D, Barclay R et al. (1993) Removal of blood from laboratory mammals and birds Lab Anim 27: 122;
Morton DB, Jennings M, Batchelor GR et al. (1993) Refinements in rabbit husbandry Lab Anim 27: 30129.
39 Morton DB, Jennings M, Buckwell A et al. (2001) Refining procedures for the administration of substances Lab Anim 35: 142.
40 Hawkins P, Morton DB, Bevan R et al. (2004) Husbandry refinements for rats, mice, dogs and non-human primates used in
telemetry procedures Lab Anim 38: 110; Morton DB, Hawkins P, Bevan R et al. (2003) Refinements in telemetry procedures
Lab Anim 37: 26199.
41 Robinson V and Jennings M (2004) Refinement and reduction in the production of genetically modified mice: Sixth report of
the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint Working Group on Refinement ATLA 32 Supplement 1: 3735.