The UK Joint Working Group on Refinement (JWGR) is an initiative established by four organisations: the British Veterinary Association - Animal Welfare Foundation, the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments, the RSPCA and the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. The RSPCA co-ordinates the Group and provides the secretariat.
The JWGR organises working groups with experts from industry, academia and animal welfare to prepare reports on a variety of specific topics. They set out recommendations for good practice and define practical ways of reducing suffering associated with husbandry and procedures.
These reports are usually published in the UK journal Laboratory Animals. Examples include:
- A guide to defining and implementing protocols for the welfare assessment of laboratory animals (2011) [weblink]
- Application of the 3Rs to challenge assays used in vaccine testing (2010) [weblink] (published in the journal Biologicals)
- Refinements in husbandry, care and common procedures for non-human primates (2009) (PDF 510KB)
- Refining dog husbandry and care (2004) (PDF 3118KB)
- Husbandry refinements for rats, mice, dogs, and non-human primates in telemetry procedures (2004) (PDF 150KB)
- Refinements in telemetry procedures (2003) (PDF 424KB)
- Refinement and reduction in production of genetically modified mice (2003) (PDF 1601KB)
- Laboratory birds - refinement in husbandry and procedures (2001) (PDF 3765KB)
- Refining rodent husbandry - the mouse (1998) (PDF 265KB)
More information:
- Contact: research.animals@rspca.org.uk