Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals - Office of ...

ENVIRONMENT, hOUSING, ANd MANAGEMENT5TABLE 3.3 Recommended Minimum Space for Rabbits, Cats, and DogsHoused in Pairs or Groups*AnimalsWeight, akgFloor Area/Animal, b ft 2 (m 2 )Height, cin. (cm)Comments1.5 (0.14)Rabbits 5.4 c ≥5.0 (≥0.46)Up to 4Up to 5.43.0 (0.28)4.0 (0.37)Cats 4 d 3.0 (0.28)≥4.0 (≥0.37)16 (40.5)16 (40.5)16 (40.5)16 (40.5)24 (60.8)24 (60.8)Larger rabbits may requiremore cage height to allowanimals to sit up.Vertical space with perchesis preferred and mayrequire additional cageheight.8.0 (0.74)Dogs e 30 d ≥24.0 (≥2.4)Up to 30 12.0 (1.2)— fCage height should be— fsufficient for the animals— f to comfortably stand erectwith their feet on the floor.*The interpretation of this table should take into consideration the performance indicesdescribed in the text beginning on page 55.a To convert kilograms to pounds, multiply by 2.2.b Singly housed animals may require more space per animal than recommended for pair- orgroup-housed animals.c From cage floor to cage top.d Larger animals may require more space to meet performance standards (see text).e These recommendations may require modification according to body conformation of individualanimals and breeds. Some dogs, especially those toward the upper limit of each weightrange, may require additional space to ensure compliance with the regulations of the AnimalWelfare Act. These regulations (USDA 1985) mandate that the height of each cage be sufficientto allow the occupant to stand in a “comfortable position” and that the minimal square feetof floor space be equal to the “mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog ininches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; then divide theproduct by 144.”f Enclosures that allow greater freedom of movement and unrestricted height (i.e., pens, runs,or kennels) are preferable.Wolfensohn 2004). Group composition is critical and numerous speciesspecificfactors such as age, behavioral repertoire, sex, natural social organization,breeding requirements, and health status should be taken intoconsideration when forming a group. In addition, due to conformational differencesof animals within groups, more space or height may be required tomeet the animals’ physical and behavioral needs. Therefore, determinationof the appropriate cage size is not based on body weight alone, and professionaljudgment is paramount in making such determinations (Kaufman etal. 2004; Williams et al. 2000).