RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group

Working to improve the welfare of laboratory rodents is extremely important because the vast majority of animals used in research and testing are mice and rats.

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group provides a forum for scientists, animal technologists and veterinarians to exchange ideas on implementing the 3Rs within rodent care and use.

A key aim of the Group is to encourage people to take account of the whole lifetime experience of laboratory rodents, ensuring that every potential impact on their wellbeing has been reviewed and refined.

Annual meetings

The Group holds annual meetings with presentations and interactive sessions, which often address specific themes. Previous topics have included rat welfare, wild rodent care, rodent welfare assessment and welfare issues associated with Individually Ventilated Cages (IVCs).

Next meeting:

The 2010 meeting will focus on the effects on rodents of commonplace husbandry procedures such as handling and cage cleaning, and how these could be refined. It will be held in London on Wednesday 6 October 2010 [for more information, email: research_animals@rspca.org.uk, putting 'Rodent welfare meeting' in the subject field].

Reports of past meetings

The research animals department also produces the meeting reports (see right, for examples), which are available to those using and caring for rodents worldwide.

All the reports from previous years' meetings are available in the journal Animal Technology and Welfare (for the meetings held 1998-2004 & 2008) and Lab Animal (2005-2007). 

More information

• Contact: research_animals@rspca.org.uk
   
• Find out more about the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare by visiting the UFAW website