3Rs - search page

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

General information collated to help with the implementation of approaches to reduce and refine the use of GA mice.

These resources are aimed at anyone working with or caring for GA animals, those responsible for recording or maintaining records of GA animals, and/or those involved in the import, export or transport of GA animals. 

This gateway provides a place for researchers funded by the NC3Rs to promote the 3Rs impact of their work, and publish rapidly, in an open and transparent manner.

This page provides access to searchable, hypertext listings of inbred strains of mice and inbred strains of rats. Both sets of information were provided by Dr. Michael FW Festing (MRC Toxicology Unit) and were converted for Web presentation by the Mouse Genome Informatics Group at The Jackson Laboratory.