3Rs - search page

This website provides a series of resources to support the adoption of best practice for commonly used procedures in animal research.

The RSPCA  strongly promote fuller implementation of all 3Rs, and they recognise the work done by other bodies to develop and validate humane alternatives, and to address the current crisis with reproducibility and translatability in the life sciences.

• Replacement: methods which avoid or replace animal use - our principal goal

• Reduction: ensuring that the minimum number of animals is used to answer the scientific question, using effective experimental design and statistical analysis to optimise numbers and avoid wasting animals

• Refinement: reducing suffering and improving welfare throughout animals' lives, including procedures, housing, husbandry and care

The term ‘welfare assessment’ refers to monitoring animals for signs of pain, suffering and distress associated with procedures and their effects, as well as to the day-to-day assessment of all animals to see how they are coping with their environment and to detect health or welfare issues. Indicators of positive wellbeing, such as appropriate levels of grooming and social interaction, should also be included when devising welfare assessment protocols.

Blood sampling can be stressful for laboratory animals because of the handling, restraint, anaesthesia or discomfort associated with a particular technique

A resource from the research animals department on how housing and care can be refined to reduce suffering and improve welfare of animal species.

Good training in non-aversive handling has benefits for the animal, for the handler and for the reliability of data gained in experiments.

There are several stages to consider when planning and carrying out studies involving animals to establish, implement and refine humane endpoints.

A group of passionate enrichment advocates from academia and industry are the spark for this effort to ignite and excite the laboratory animal community from top to bottom.