Publications on 3Rs
The Swedish 3Rs Center collect and share knowledge about methods that replace, reduce and refine animal experiments. Here you can find our publications that are published in English.
Recommendations and guidelines
We work as the executive body of the Swedish National Committee for Protection of Animals used for Scientific Purposes. The National Committee decides what guidelines we are to produce. The guidelines are aiming to help organisations and staff to improve their work. They are not imperative, but should be used as a support.
Group and single housing of rabbits
The rabbit is a naturally social species and must therefore be housed in a group according to Swedish research animal legislation. However, it has proven difficult to keep rabbits in groups in a research setting. The Swedish 3Rs Center has created a support material to help laboratory animal facilities in housing rabbits in groups, as well as to give rabbits as good of a welfare as possible when they need to be housed alone. A summary of the support material is also available as a poster that can be printed and displayed in your organisation.
Support in choosing method of euthanasia for mice
Euthanasia of research animals may cause great suffering if the procedure is not carried out correctly. The Swedish 3Rs Center has compiled a material to be used as a support when choosing methods for euthanasia, anaesthesia and confirmation of death in mice.
Aquarium furnishings for fishes
In the research animal legislation, there are requirements stating that fish must have an interior and a bottom substrate that corresponds to what is found in the natural environment of each fish species. The Swedish 3Rs Center has created a guide that is intended to help when choosing furnishings for fishes housed in a laboratory environment.
Acclimatisation prior to experiments
To achieve reliable research results, animals should be acclimatised every time they have been subjected to stress. In order to help researchers when choosing the length of acclimatisation for mice, rats and zebrafish prior to experiments, the Swedish 3Rs Center has produced a series of support materials. Summaries of the support materials regarding mice and rats are also available as posters that can be printed and displayed in your organisation.
- Report: Acclimatisation of mice prior to experiments Pdf, 298.4 kB.
- Report: Acclimatisation of rats prior to experiments Pdf, 286.1 kB.
- Report: Acclimatisation of zebrafish prior to experiments Pdf, 235.5 kB.
- Poster: Acclimatisation of mice prior to experiments Pdf, 279.4 kB.
- Poster: Acclimatisation of rats prior to experiments Pdf, 287.3 kB.
Refined mouse handling
Mice used in research shall not be caught, lifted or moved by the tail. This has been stated by the Swedish National Committee. The statement aims to contribute to improved animal welfare and research quality based on scientific evidence and empirical experience. As support for implementation, we have compiled experiences from Swedish facilities and tips from the 3Rs organization in UK, NC3Rs.
Group housing of male mice
The Swedish 3Rs Center has together with external experts run a project to provide recommendations to Swedish facilities when it comes to group housing for male mice to avoid aggression. The basis for the recommendations is mainly experiences of animal technicians, veterinarians and researchers at Swedish laboratory animal facilities.
Marking and tagging fish
The Swedish 3Rs Center has together with external experts compiled the most common methods for marking and identifying fish. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are evaluated from an animal welfare as well as a users’ point-of-view. The guideline includes both free-living fish and fish in animal facilities.
Other publications
Help when discussing Culture of Care at your laboratory animal facility
The Swedish 3Rs Center has produced a material to use as a basis for discussion to promote the Culture of Care in laboratory animal facilities. Culture of Care is a concept that aims for businesses to be permeated by care and consideration. The material covers various situations and conflicts that can arise in a facility.
Template on humane endpoints for animals in research
The Swedish National Committee and its group of experts have developed an assessment template as a support for researchers, veterinarians, approved supervisors and animal caretakers. It can be used to assess animals’ health before, during and after a study to estimate if the animals’ health has deteriorated, as well as to decide if the humane endpoint has been reached.
Infographics
Our stakeholders have posed issues on formal validation. The issues often relate to a lack of funding but also to a lack of clear and easily accessible information about the process and the requirements. Therefore, the Swedish 3Rs Center has produced infographics to visualise and explain the process.
Publications in Swedish
Some of our publications are published only in Swedish. You find them at our Swedish website.
Revision date: 2025-05-05