Other policies

Preventing individual housing of laboratory animals (pdf)

This document describes how Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht approach the prevention of individual housing for animals used in research and teaching. In principle, these animals are kept in groups, as most animals are naturally social. Only animals that naturally live alone, such as hamsters, are housed individually as standard. However, it is sometimes necessary to house animals individually on a temporary basis, for example due to illness, aggression, breeding, pregnancy or an experiment. Individual housing can affect both the animal’s welfare and the reliability of research results. Therefore, this is only permitted when strictly necessary and the duration must be kept as short as possible. 

The policy sets out when individual housing is permitted and under what conditions. This must always be agreed with experts, such as the vet and the Animal Welfare Body (AWB), and properly documented. 

If animals are housed individually, researchers must take additional measures. For example, where possible, animals must be able to maintain contact with conspecifics (see, hear, smell or feel them). Extra attention must also be paid to enrichment, such as toys or additional care. In addition, researchers must always try to return animals to group housing as soon as possible. If this is not possible, the reasons must be documented. The document also provides practical examples of ways to avoid individual housing, such as grouping animals together, using ‘buddy animals’ or adapting the experimental design.

Finally, the policy emphasises that we are constantly seeking improvements to ensure that both animal welfare and the quality of research are safeguarded as effectively as possible.

Re-use, collection of tissues and rehoming.

Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht aim to minimize the number of animals that must be killed without having been put to a meaningful use for research and/or education. Animals that are no longer required following research, teaching or breeding are referred to as ‘surplus animals’. The policy outlines the guidelines for these options: reuse, tissue collection, rehoming, or euthanasia.

Reuse: animals may be reused in research if they are healthy, have recovered from a previous experiment, and the new research causes only mild to moderate discomfort. Animals that have suffered severely may only be re-used in an experiment in which the animals are killed immediately or are anaesthetized and do not wake up again.

Tissue collection: tissues may be collected for research or teaching purposes if a project license has been granted or following notification to the CCD. In some cases, this may be done without a separate license, for example if the animal is already being used or is already dead. The collection of tissues may or may not constitute an animal experiment, depending on whether it causes distress or requires special procedures.

Rehoming: if an animal cannot be reused, the AWB will determine whether rehoming is possible. The AWB assesses suitability within the legal framework, arranges the placement, and oversees the transfer. Adopters must ensure proper care and sign an agreement. For rats, there is a special program with a waiting list for adopters and temporary shelters for rats that cannot be placed directly with adopters.

Euthanasia: if an animal is unsuitable for reuse and rehoming, it may be euthanized or, in case of farm animals, sent to the abattoir. For sick animals, the cause of the illness is often investigated. Dead animals may, where possible, be made available for use in veterinary education.

ATEX platform: through ATEX, staff from UU and UMC Utrecht coordinate the supply and demand for surplus animals, organs and tissues that become available within Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht.

Purchasing and breeding laboratory animals (pdf)
Implementation guide breeding of laboratory animals (pdf)

This document describes how Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht manage the procurement and breeding of animals used in research and teaching. The aim is to safeguard the welfare of the animals, limit the number of animals bred unnecessarily, and improve the quality of research. When choosing between purchasing animals or breeding them in-house, the ‘no, unless’ principle applies. This means that animals are preferably purchased from a supplier and are only bred in-house in special cases. Strict rules apply to both purchasing and breeding. For instance, animals may only be used if there is an approved working protocol and a project license. Furthermore, the establishment, maintenance and expansion of breeding lines must be well-founded and coordinated with experts, such as the Animal Welfare Body (AWB) and breeding coordinators. Additional rules apply to the breeding of genetically modified animals. The practical application of these rules is set out in the implementation guide breeding of laboratory animals.

Breeding animals often results in a surplus of animals. Policy stipulates that this number must be kept as small as possible. Where possible, these animals are still put to good use, for example in research or education, or for the collection of tissues. Breeding coordinators oversee the breeding process, and regular assessments and checks are carried out. It is also considered whether it is better to maintain a breeding strain or to temporarily freeze it (cryopreservation). 

Finally, continuous efforts are made to improve processes, for example through better collaboration and databases, and new techniques. In this way, license holders aim to ensure the responsible use of animals and minimise the unnecessary use of laboratory animals. 

Patient-related research and education (pdf)
Decision tree (pdf)

The aim of this policy is to ensure that animals are properly protected, that researchers are clear about which rules apply, and that research and education are conducted in a careful and responsible manner.In this document is explained when procedures carried out on sick animals (patients) in research and education fall under the Animal Experiments Act (Wod) and when they fall under the Animals Act.

Animals treated by vets or students, for example in a clinic, usually fall under the Animals Act. This applies if the procedures form part of normal treatment and do not cause more discomfort than is usual. Furthermore, material collected during treatment (such as blood or tissue) may be used for research, provided this does not cause the animal any additional discomfort. 

Sometimes, however, procedures do fall under the Animal Experiments Act. This is the case when, in addition to normal treatment, additional procedures are carried out that may cause more discomfort. For example, if extra biopsies are taken for research, or if a new, non-standard treatment is being tested. In such cases, a project licence is required. 

Researchers and lecturers must always set out their plans in a working protocol. In this, they clearly describe which procedures form part of the standard treatment and which are carried out specifically for research or teaching purposes. The Animal Welfare Authority (AWB) then assesses whether the procedures fall under the Wod. 

To make this easier, the document includes a decision tree. This helps researchers determine, step by step, which rules apply. If in doubt, they should always contact the AWB.