Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

This code is made under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and applies to all institutions breeding and using such animals for research, testing and teaching.

The primary objective of this code is to establish minimum standards and promote recommendations for the housing and care of these species.

Contents

1. Introduction, purpose and scope of this code
2. Definitions and acronyms
3. Principles, minimum standards and recommendations for the housing and care of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
   Part 3.1 — Nutrition
   Part 3.2 — Animal enclosures
   Part 3.3 — Climate control
   Part 3.4 — Behaviour and environmental enrichment
   Part 3.5 — Maintenance and hygiene
   Part 3.6 — Handling and basic procedures
   Part 3.7 — Health monitoring
   Part 3.8 — Transportation
   Part 3.9 — Euthanasia
   Part 3.10 — Monitoring and records

Appendices

• Appendix 1 — Minimum standards for housing of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
• Appendix 2 — Methods of euthanasia for post-neonatal laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
• Appendix 3 — Guidelines for euthanasia of fetal and neonatal mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits
• Appendix 4 — Example Animal monitoring sheet
• Appendix 5 — Example Welfare assessment score and judgement sheet
• Appendix 6 — Example Monitoring sheet for animals after surgery or invasive procedures
• Appendix 7 — Example Daily breeding record sheet
• Appendix 8 — Example Monthly animal record sheet
• Appendix 9 — Example Numerical score sheet for neonatal genetically modified rodents
• Appendix 10 — Example Phenotype report for genetically modified animals

Download the Victorian code of practice:

• Code of Practice for the housing and care of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits (PDF - 698.2 KB)
• Code of Practice for the housing and care of laboratory mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits – accessible (WORD - 1.1 MB)