Radboud University
The well being of laboratory animals is an issue of crucial importance. Within our animal unit, we handle all animals with care and avoid stressful handling techniques such as tail pick-ups as much as possible.
Instead we use cupping and tubing. We also offer instructional videos for stress-free handling of animals. For example about rat handling and mouse handling.
TNU would like to avail of its scientific expertise to improve animal welfare. TNU scientists study the cognitive abilities of different animal species and behavioural expressions that are indicative of suffering or stress. It is also planned to carry out more research on animal housing and handling.
The researchers aim to use the insights gained from this work to plan future animal research in a way that causes less strain on the laboratory animals. It is also planned to place greater emphasis on the preferred living conditions of the animals. In this way, TNU aims to ensure, for example, that laboratory animals are kept in conditions that take the social life of their species into account.