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The Three Rs Animal Welfare Principles for research, testing and teaching The Three Rs — replacement, reduction and refinement — were first introduced by the authors Russell and Burch in their 1959 book, The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique (available through the Johns Hopkins Alt Web website and the abridged version on the norecopa website ). Since then these ideas have become fundamental principles in the area of animal welfare for research, testing and teaching. Replacement Accelerating the development and use of predictive and robust models and tools, based on the latest science and technologies, to replace the use of animals in addressing important research questions where they would have otherwise been used. Reduction Appropriately designed and analysed animal experiments that are robust and reproducible, and add to the knowledge base. Refinement Advancing laboratory animal welfare by exploiting the latest in vivo technologies to minimise pain, suffering and distress and improve understanding of the impact of welfare on scientific outcomes. Booklets outlining examples of the application of these principles can be found here .

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Links to resources from other organisations International organisations promoting the ethical care and use of laboratory animals ANZCCART (NZ) has memberships or partnerships with four international organisations that promote greater openness, or the ethical care and humane use, of animals in research, in order to learn from international best practice. AAALAC International In late September 2009, ANZCCART New Zealand was approved for membership of AAALAC International. ANZCCART continues to support the mission and work of AAALAC International by serving as an AAALAC “Member Organization.” ANZCCART joins more than 75+ other prestigious scientific, professional and educational organizations from around the world that have an interest in advancing animal well-being in science. AAALAC International is the world’s largest accrediting body for animal research and education programs. Currently more than 1,175 companies, universities, hospitals, government agencies and other research institutions in 52 countries/regions have earned AAALAC accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to responsible animal care and use. These institutions volunteer to participate in AAALAC's program, in addition to complying with all applicable local and national laws that regulate animal research. Those that meet or exceed applicable standards are awarded accreditation —a mark of quality assurance recognized around the world. ANZCCART' s continued participation as an AAALAC International Member Organization demonstrates our commitment to responsible animal care and use. It's an opportunity to join with other respected organizations to communicate that excellence in animal welfare is critical to quality science and education. In 2025 ANZCCART Australia joined New Zealand in its AAALAC membership and the two countries now share the same representative For more information on AAALAC visit www.aaalac.org . International Council for Laboratory Animal Science In 2005, ANZCCART New Zealand was approved for membership in the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS). ICLAS is an international scientific organisation dedicated to advancing human and animal health by promoting the ethical care and use of laboratory animals in research worldwide. In 2025 paid membership of ICLAS by ANZCCART New Zealand was extended to include ANZCCART Australia with the two countries sharing the same representative. European Animal Research Association In 2020, ANZCCART signed a MoU with the European Animal Research Association ( EARA ) which reflects a shared commitment to greater openness, improved communications and constructive public discourse in relation to animal research in Australia and New Zealand. In 2022 ANZCCART (Australia and New Zealand) became a full member of EARA. Understanding Animal Research From 2020 to 2022 ANZCCART (Australia and New Zealand) were members of UK’s Understanding Animal Research ( UAR ), which seeks to achieve a broad understanding of the humane use of animals in medical, veterinary, scientific and environmental research. There is now a UAR Oceania with which ANZCCART established an MoU in 2025. The Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association In 2025, ANZCCART signed a MoU with the Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association ( ANZLAA) to promote the ethical, responsible, and transparent use of animals in research and teaching across Australia and New Zealand. ANZLAA is a professional organisation dedicated to supporting individuals involved in the care and use of animals in research and teaching. ANZLAA provides a platform for networking, professional development, and knowledge exchange among laboratory animal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, and the wider Oceania region. Feature articles This section includes a selection of external articles that are relevant to researchers, teachers and students who use animals in their work. If you know of an article that should be included in this resource bank please contact us with the full reference. Squeaky clean mice could be ruining research . Nature (2018):Apr 5;556(7699):16-18 Should research animals be named? Science (2015): Vol. 347 no. 6225 pp. 941-943 Line of attack . Science (2015): Vol. 347 no. 6225 pp. 938-940 Resource bank and recommendations on best practice ANZCCART aims to promote best practice whenever animals are used for research, testing or teaching. This resource bank contains articles, newsletters and information that will help you keep up to date with the latest developments in animal welfare. Statistical design for animal welfare. We strongly recommend the resources on designing animal experiments provided by Michael Festing . Alt web (resource database hosted by Johns Hopkins University) Animal Welfare Act 1999 (Parliamentary Council Office website) ANZCCART Conferences on animal welfare in the context of research, testing and teaching Culture of Care (A NAEAC guide for people working with animals in research, testing and teaching) (PDF, 393 kb, 6 pages) Ethical guidelines for Tertiary students in laboratory classes involving the use of animals and animal tissues (ANZCCART NZ resource, 1 page PDF) Ethical guidelines for tertiary students .pdf Download PDF • 172KB Guide to the Animal Welfare Act (Ministry of Primary Industries website) SPCA New Zealand The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) website The National Animal Welfare Committee (NAWAC) website

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Resources ANZCCART has a variety of resources available for teachers and students to learn about ways that animals are used in research, testing and teaching. Teaching and learning about Māori knowledge of animals and how Māori concepts can inform animal ethics Open-access digital resources are available on the Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao: · Māori knowledge of animals ; · Māori concepts for animal ethics . A Māori medium e-version is also available to download. A te reo Māori version (2024) for use in kura is available to download here: Roy 180 Compositestudent_Digital .pdf Download PDF • 7.63MB The resources are written by Professor Georgina Tuari Stewart, a Pūtaiao education expert from AUT, and Associate Professor Sally Birdsall, a primary science teacher educator and academic from University of Auckland. Caring for the animals we use in research and teaching ANZCCART has produced a resource called “Caring for the animals we use in research and teaching” (2015). The centrepiece of this resource is a DVD which provides a series of interviews with scientists who use animals in their research. This DVD is an excellent resource for generating class discussion and debate around the use of animals in research and teaching. The research topics discussed on the DVD are: research into developing anti-cancer drugs (presented by Professor Bill Wilson); genetic causes for obesity (presented by Dr Kathy Mountjoy); the effects of pre-natal nutrition on lambs (presented by Professor Jane Harding); the use of pain relief on farms for procedures such as castration and docking of lambs’ tails (presented by Dr Craig Johnson); the effects of the gene kisspeptin on puberty and fertility (presented by Professor Allan Herbison); development of the Xcluder Pest Proof Fence which is in use at Maungatautari (presented by Dr Tim Day); legislation governing the use of animals in research and teaching (presented by Professor Don Love and Dr Sally Birdsall). The video clips from the DVD can be downloaded by teachers from the following web link . A password will be required and will be available upon request to teachers ( contact ANZCCART NZ ). A compilation of interviews on these topics, narrated by Dr Jessie Jacobsen, the 2007 MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year (now called the Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist of the year), is also available. A set of activities has been developed to accompany each of the interviews for Years 9-10 students. They are designed to encourage discussion about the ways in which animals are used in research, as well as having a literacy focus. Each set of activities has links to the Nature of Science strand and to relevant contextual strands in the revised New Zealand school curriculum together with suggested ways of developing relevant key competencies. If you would like a copy of the DVD, please contact ANZCCART NZ . Assessment Resources ANZCCART (NZ) has supported the development of three NCEA assessment tasks that have received the Quality Assured Assessment materials trade mark (QAAM) from the NZQA for NCEA Achievement Standards (Biology 2.2, and 3.2), which integrates biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue in 2019. The three resources are: Biology 2.2 (AS 91154) Animal research: The best thing for human medicine and animals? – NCEA Level 2 – Internal Assessment Resource Biology 3.2 (AS 91602) Animal research: The ethics of using animals for research and teaching in New Zealand – NCEA Level 3 – Internal Assessment Resource Biology 3.2 (AS 91602) Animal research: Predator proof fences – NCEA Level 3 – Internal Assessment Resource Each of the tasks is available as a ‘ready to use’ package and contains: The achievement standard Teacher guidelines for and conditions of assessment The assessment task The assessment schedule Planning notes for teachers and suggested resources These teaching resources are not available on-line, but can be sent to teachers upon request ( contact ANZCCART NZ ). A 2019 student resource to accompany these tasks, Using Animals in Science: Student Resource, is available to download here . Three Rs Booklets A series of booklets have been produced that illustrate how the Three Rs are being used in scientific research. Organ-on-a-Chip and Organoids (replacement) (2026) Organ on a chip and organoids-compressed .pdf Download PDF • 12.71MB Cell-based Disease Models (replacement) (2019) Computer Assisted Learning (replacement) (2021) Mannequins and Dummies (replacement) (2021) Alternatives to shellfish toxicity testing (replacement) (2018) Fireflies to the rescue (reduction) (2019) Mathematical models (reduction) (2022) Tissue sharing (reduction) (2024) Simple ingenuity (refinement) (2019) Non-Invasive Methods (refinement) (2018) Living syringes (refinement) (2018) Oil emulsified gels (refinement) (2022) Links to Other Resources Other resources are also available here: Using animals in science , student resource (2019 ANZCCART publication) (PDF, 2.8 MB, 22 pages) Animal research saves lives, questions and answers (2017 ANZCCART resource) (PDF, 1.8 MB, 14 pages) Animal ethics resources on TKI website DEMOCS discussion game (from EdinEthics, UK website) SPCA New Zealand Culture of Care (NAEAC guide for people working with animals in research, testing and teaching) (PDF) Animal Welfare Act 1999 Part 6 ANZCCART 3Rs poster .pdf Download PDF • 8.53MB Three Rs resources (ANZCCART pages) Johns Hopkins CAAT page The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) website The National Animal Welfare Committee (NAWAC) website

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