The University of Michigan and the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) share a strong commitment to the โThree Rโ principles of biomedical research:
- Reduce the number of animals used to an absolute minimum;
- Replace animals with other options whenever possible; and
- Refine all practices to ensure the most humane conditions possible.
As part of this long-standing commitment to excellence and compassion in animal care and use, our Animal Care & Use Program has amassed a catalogue of in-house studies pertaining to best practices in animal enrichment and refinement.
A selection of this work is now being featured as part of the Virtual Educational Community launched by the newly formed North American 3Rs Collaborative (NA3RsC).
Topics range from using behavioral ethograms as a health assessment tool, troubleshooting aggressive behaviors in pair housed rabbits, and the impact of different nesting materials on animal health and well-being.
The NA3RsC serves as a central resource and collaboration hub for members of academia, industry, and government to share their advancements in the science of the 3Rs โ replacing, reducing, and refining the use of animals in research.
Where to Learn More
If you are interested in learning about how animal enrichment and refinement can inform your next project, please visit our Refinement & Enrichment Advancements Laboratory webpage or email [email protected].