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You are here: Agriculture » About Agriculture » Legislation and Regulation » Animal Welfare Legislation » Victorian Codes of Practice » Care of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Guinea Pigs and Rabbits » Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Laboratory Animals

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

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

• 3.1 Nutrition
• 3.2 Animal Enclosures
• 3.3 Climate Control
• 3.4 Behaviour and Environmental Enrichment
• 3.5 Maintenance and Hygiene
• 3.6 Handling and Basic Procedures
• 3.7 Health Monitoring
• 3.8 Transportation
• 3.9 Euthanasia
• 3.10 Monitoring and Records

4. Further Information Sources

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

Electronic copies of the code are available at animal.welfare@dpi.vic.gov.au