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Assessing the welfare of genetically altered mice
D J Wells1, L C Playle, W E J Enser
1Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Imperial College, Faculty of Medicine, UK.
Laboratory Animals
|April 8, 2006
Summary
A UK working group reviewed welfare concerns for genetically altered (GA) mice. Their report offers practical recommendations and a
Area of Science:
- Biological and biomedical research
- Animal welfare science
Background:
- Genetically altered (GA) mice are crucial research models.
- Potential welfare issues in GA mice require careful assessment.
- Current practices for welfare assessment needed standardization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review potential welfare issues in genetically altered (GA) mice.
- To summarize current practices for GA mouse welfare assessment.
- To recommend contemporary best practices for welfare assessments.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a UK working group by main funders of biological and biomedical research.
- Review of existing welfare assessment practices for GA mice.
- Development of practical recommendations for welfare assessment and information dissemination.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive report detailing welfare concerns for GA mice.
- Practical recommendations for GA mouse welfare assessment schemes.
- Introduction of a 'mouse passport' system for information sharing between institutions.
Conclusions:
- The report provides a framework for improving GA mouse welfare.
- Standardized welfare assessments and information sharing are essential.
- The 'mouse passport' facilitates consistent welfare monitoring across research establishments.
