FELASA statement on the use of live animals in teaching and training

<strong>FELASA</strong> <strong>statement</strong> on the use of live animals in teaching and
training
Prepared by Merel Ritskes and Jann Hau
Remark: includes the conclusions from the workshop at the <strong>FELASA</strong> symposium in
Aachen in 2002 where it was discussed whether or not to use live animals in courses on
laboratory animal science.
Version 11 March 03
The implementation of the principle of the 3R’s (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement)
requires that all personnel involved in laboratory animal care and use have the proper
education, training and experience when performing animal studies. Felasa has issued
specific detailed educational guidelines for each personnel category working with
laboratory animals (categories A-D: A – animal caretakers; B – animal technicians; C –
researchers; D: Animal Welfare Officers/laboratory animal specialists). In order to optimise
animal welfare and refinement of experimental techniques it is essential that the
competences specified in the guidelines are obtained during this education. In order to
guarantee a high quality of teaching at these courses, Felasa grants accreditation to those
courses that live up to this high standard.
An essential part of teaching and training are high-quality practical classes where the
course participants learn to develop a high standard of working with live animals: This will
secure that humane handling and restraint, proper injection techniques, administration
methods and blood sampling, and proper anaesthesia and euthanasia will also be
executed later in practice at the institutes where the experimental work is performed. Even
though the use of live animals under high-quality supervision is essential to ensure proper
training in handling, sampling and anaesthesia, efforts should be taken to replace, reduce
and refine the use of live animals wherever possible. The use of AV material and plastic
models of animals before introducing the student to live animals will contribute to a better
understanding and practising under less stressful conditions. This gradual introduction will
lead to greater student confidence and more successful work with the live animals later on
in the course, giving more satisfaction, success and better animal welfare. It is advised
that participation in a laboratory animal science course should not occur before a person is
significantly involved in experimental design and will be involved in animal experimentation.
Live animal use is considered a necessary part of education, but must always be balanced
with ethics and the Three R’s.
The use of live animals at courses can also contribute to the development of appropriate
attitudes towards animals. The “proper” attitude refers to respect for the animal, i.e. that
the animals has an intrinsic value in itself. This will automatically lead to the question
whether it is necessary to use live animals to solve a certain scientific problem or that
alternatives should be used. In courses appropriate attitudes will be developed when
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teachers explain that the aim of using live animals is to raise awareness that animals can
suffer and to develop consciousness about the fact that the scientist has power over the
animal’s life. If the only purpose of teaching is to develop manual skills/techniques,
attitudes will not be changed. It is necessary that the teachers demonstrate the proper
attitudes themselves when handling live animals in order to set the proper example in
practice. A very high standard must be set during training.
Basic techniques are taught in category C courses, but techniques cannot be mastered to
the full extent after such a course. In view of this it is necessary to establish the principle
of lifelong education, and it is important that all on-the-job training is recorded in CVs. As
mobility of scientists increases, good documentation of these qualifications is essential.
Scientists should learn an appropriate attitude, including the need to ask for help from an
experienced colleague whenever possible. Responsible scientists should leave
experimental techniques to those most competent whenever possible. Attitude building is
the most important issue of laboratory animal science training - it is a quality for life.
Scientists having appropriate attitudes can with little difficulty be further educated and
trained to the desired level.
It can be concluded that the use of live animals in courses for scientists can contribute
both to the development of skills and enhancing attitude, when the teaching is of a high
standard and stresses the moral dimension. It is important that the reasons behind the
use of live animals are made clear, in order to contribute to the development of respect for
the animals.
The use of live animals in e.g. teaching programmes for undergraduate students in biology,
pharmacology, and physiology should always be questioned. When fundamental biological
interactions and anatomy can be demonstrated with alternative methods, these must be
used to replace live animals as and when they become available.
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