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Helpful Links

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• Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Research
• Animal Ethics and Welfare Centres
• Animal Welfare and Animal Rights Groups websites
• Guidelines, Australian Government Policies and Regulatory Information
• Environmental Enrichment
• Housing and Care of Laboratory Animals
• Humane Research
• Information about Animal Ethics in Schools and information for School Children
• Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Animals
• Scientific and Research Organisations
• Statistics on Animal Use in Research and Teaching

Alternatives to the use of animals in research

• ALTEX - alternatives to animal experiments - from the European Society for Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments (MEGAT)
• Altox.org (2008) Validated/Accepted Alternative Methods.
  http://www.alttox.org/ttrc/validation-ra/validated-ra-methods.html
• Altweb - Alternatives to Animal Testing on the Web - The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) - Aims to find new methods to replace the use of laboratory animals in experiments, reduce the number of animals tested, and refine necessary tests to eliminate pain and distress.
• Balls M. (2002) Future improvements: replacement in vitro methods. ILAR 43(Suppl.) http://dels.nas.edu/ilar_n/ilarjournal/43_supp/v43supBalls.shtml
• Balls M. (1994) Replacement of animal procedures: alternatives in research, education and testing. Laboratory Animals 28:193-211.
  http://www.lal.org.uk/pdffiles/balls2.pdf
• ECVAM - European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods is a scientific information service on advanced alternative methods to animal experiments in biomedical sciences
• Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
  The long-term goal of the organisation is the total elimination of laboratory animal use, through the development, validation and acceptance of replacement alternative methods. This site has links to many useful resources.
  Replacement Resource (2006) http://www.frame.org.uk/page.php?pg_id=114
• Interniche -InterNICHE is an open and diverse network comprising students, teachers and animal campaigners. The network focuses on animal use and alternatives within biological science, medical and veterinary medical education.
• Invitroderm - Alternatives to Skin Irritation/Corrosion Testing in Animals
• Medical Advances Without Animals Trust
• NC3Rs - The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) provides a UK focus for the promotion, development and implementation of the 3Rs in animal research.
  Replacement in a multi-system reflex (2007) http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/page.asp?id=886
  Engineering tissue alternatives to animals (2007) http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/page.asp?id=887
• NCA Netherlands Centre Alternatives to Animal Use (NCA) is the central point in the Netherlands for coordinating research and disseminating information on alternatives to animal experiments. The site has links to information and resources for alternatives to animal use
• NICEATM-ICCVAM - The NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM)
• The UC Center for Animal Alternatives
  The UC Center for Animal Alternatives places special emphasis on disseminating up-to-date information concerning animal alternatives through every level of public and private education. It also seeks to provide investigators who use animals with information on the most current methods for improving all aspects of animal care during their work.
• The Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Science & Alternatives

Animal Ethics and Welfare Centres

• Animal Ethics Infolink Animal Research Review Panel and the Animal Welfare Unit of NSW Agriculture. This site has excellent information on animal use in New South Wales as well as links to national and international resources.
• Animals in Research and Teaching - The Department of Primary Industries of Victoria.
• Animal Welfare and Ethics - A Centre run by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F). This site provides extensive information on animal use in Queensland. It has lots of information about animal welfare with sections appropriate for schoolchildren and researchers alike.
• Animal Welfare Centre - A joint centre of The University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Department of Primary Industries Victoria.
• Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) - This site has very good information on alternatives to using animals and enrichment.
• Animal Welfare Institute - This site has some excellent information on enrichment for laboratory animals.
• Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Massey University - This centre has produced a number of authorative publications on animal welfare standards, ethics and regulation which are listed on the site.
• The Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) is the national organisation responsible for setting and maintaining standards for the care and use of animals in research, teaching and testing throughout Canada.
• The Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics (CAWE)
• The Nuffield Council on Bioethics - Examines ethical issues raised by new developments in biology and medicine.
• NC3Rs - The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) provides a UK focus for the promotion, development and implementation of the 3Rs in animal research.

Animal Welfare and Animal Rights groups Web sites

• Animals Australia
• HSVMA - Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association
  
• Humane Research Australia
• The Humane Society of the United States
  
• New England Anti-vivisection Society
• RSPCA
  
• SAFE

Environmental Enrichment

• Animal Welfare Information Centre Environmental Enrichment Information Resources for Laboratory Animals: 1965 - 1995 for Birds, Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents.
• Animal Welfare Institute - Database on enrichment for laboratory animals
• Enrichment Online - The Fort Worth Zoo, this site provides professional animal managers, both in zoo and laboratory settings, a comprehensive resource for incorporating enrichment into the care and husbandry of captive animals.
• Environmental Enrichment Scrapbook This site is a listing of techniques, toys, methods and ideas that have actually been used for environmental enrichment of captive non-domestic animals.
• NC3Rs - The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) provides a UK focus for the promotion, development and implementation of the 3Rs in animal research.
• The Shape of Enrichment

Guidelines, Australian Government Policies and Regulatory Information

General Australian Guidelines

Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS)
NHMRC - National Health and Medical Research Council - Home page
NHMRC Wellbeing Guidelines

Australian legislation

Queensland 

Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (reprinted as in force on 1 December 2006)
Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2002 (reprinted as in force on 29 October 2007)

New South Wales
Animal Research Act 1985 (last updated on 13 December 2007)
Animal Research Regulation 2005 (last updated on 4 December 2006)
Click on the appropriate letter for each link.

ACT
Animal Welfare Act 1992 (Refer particularly to Part 4 “Research, Teaching and Breeding”)

Victoria
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (Refer particularly to Part 3 “Scientific Procedures
(incorporating amendments as at 20 March 2008)

Tasmania
Animal Welfare Act 1993 (Refer particularly to Part 4 “Animal Research”)
(as updated 1 January 2005)
Animal Welfare Regulations 1993

NT
Animal Welfare Act (as in force at 8 March 2007)

South Australia
Animal Welfare Act 1985 (amended 3 October 2008)

Western Australia
Animal Welfare Act 2002

 

New Zealand

Animal Welfare Act 1999

International

The Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) is the national organization responsible for setting and maintaining standards for the care and use of animals in research, teaching and testing throughout Canada
The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR)

Housing and Care of Laboratory Animals

• American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)
• Assessing the Health and Welfare of Laboratory Animals (AHWLA) . Practical guidance in recognising signs of health and good welfare, as well as sign of pain, distress and poor welfare, in laboratory animals.
• Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals
• The Animal Welfare Institute - with information on refinement of housing and handling conditions and environmental enrichment for laboratory animals
• NC3Rs - The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) provides a UK focus for the promotion, development and implementation of the 3Rs in animal research.
• Universities Federation for Animal Welfare
• DPI Vic Guidelines for the housing of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
• Guidelines for the housing of sheep in scientific institutions
• Guidelines for the care and housing of rabbits in scientific institutions
• Guidelines for the care and housing of dogs in scientific institutions
• Guidelines for the housing of mice in scientific institutions

Guinea Pigs

• Generally good informative web site that covers a range of topics such as: History, Traits, Habitat, Behaviour, Breeding, Diet, Health, Pets, Scientific Research, etc.
• Guidelines for housing Guinea Pigs in Scientific Institutions.

Rats

• General information site about laboratory rates that includes a small amount of infomation about the more generic laboratory strains of rat.
• Basic information about housing and handling of rats.
• Guidelines for the care and housing of rats in scientific institutions

Zebrafish

• Good starting reference site for Zebrafish with bibliography.
• Zebrafish Husbandry Association website for those interested in Zebrafish husbandry.
• Basic guide for anyone setting up a Zebrafish colony

 

 

Humane Research

• Americans for Medical Progress
  
• Understanding Medical Research - Organisation representing medical researchers in the public debate about the use of animals in medical research and testing.
• International Veterinary Information Service - International Veterinary Information Service (IVIS) is a not-for-profit organization established to provide information to veterinarians, veterinary students and animal health professionals.
• The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)
  The Centre provides a focus for the promotion, development and implementation of the 3Rs in animal research, and replaces and builds upon the Medical Research Council's Centre for Best Practice for Animals in Research (CBPAR).
  
  
  

Information about Animal Ethics in Schools and information for School Children

• The Animal Ethics Committee Website - Part of the South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services website
  
• Animals in Schools - the website of the Queensland Schools Animal Ethics Committee
• The ABPI resources for schools website
• Excellent Fact Sheet aimed at caring for and keeping Guinea Pigs in schools
• Excellent Information Sheet that covers the basics of keeping Guinea Pigs as domestic pets

 

Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Animals

• Broad guidelines for the recognition and assessment of animal pain
• Broad guidelines on how to recognize pain in animals
• Tutorial style guide with example video clips aimed at teaching investigators to assess the health and welfare of laboratory animals
• Can animals feel pain?

Scientific and Research Organisations

• Australian Research Council
  
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• Royal Society of New Zealand
• Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association
  
• Australian Academy of Science
  
• Australian Veterinary Association
• Universities Australia

Statistics on Animal Use in research and Teaching

In Australia, animal use statistics are collected and reported individually by each state rather than on a national basis. Different information is collected by individual states and it is difficult to meaningfully compare totals across the country.  Humane Research Australia collates statistics on animal use in a comparitive table which provides a good overview of use, but keep in mind the way usage is reported varies across the states.

• NSW Animal Use Statistics - reported in the Animal Research Review Panel Annual Report
• Queensland Animal Use Statistics - via the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries web site.
• Victorian Animal Use Statistics - reported on the Department of Primary Industries Victoria web site.
• Canadian Animal Use Statistics - Via the Canadian Council on Animal Care web site.
• New Zealand Animal Use Statistics - Via the Ministry for Primary Industries New Zealand web site.
• UK Animal Use Statistics - Via the Understanding Medical Research link.