LAS: Rodents
1. Legislation
European level
• EU directive 2010/63/EU
The member states who signed and ratified the directive, must implement the directive into their
legislation.
… EU directive 1986/609/EEG
o was implemented in the law of 1986
o Led to a Royal Decree in 1993 (now replaced by RD 2013 which implemented the
changes because of 2010/63/EU)
National level (Belgium)
• Law animal welfare 1986
• Royal Decree 30.11.01 Verbod op sommige dierproeven
• Royal Decree 29.05.13 Protection Laboratory animals incl annexes
• Decree 17.02.2017 Protection laboratory animals (changes)
• Decree 22.02.2017 Composition Vlaamse proefdierencommissie
→ The protection of laboratory animals in Belgium/Flanders is basically ensured by the Animal
Welfare Law 1986 concerning the protection and welfare of animals and the Royal Decree of 1993
replaced by the Royal Decree of 2013 concerning the protection of laboratory animals.
A. Laboratory animals
Animal welfare law 1986
Art 3 - 15. Laboratory animal:
15.1. The living cephalopods used or intended for use in animal experiments, or which are specifically
kept so that their organs or tissues can be used for scientific purposes.
15.2. The living non-human vertebrates used or intended for use in animal experiments, or which are
kept specifically so that their organs or tissues may be used for scientific purposes, including their
self-feeding larval forms, as well as fetal forms of mammals from entry of the last third of their
normal development.
15.3. This definition also applies to animals used in animal experiments that are at an earlier stage of
development than the one in section 15.2. if these animals are required to survive beyond that stage
of development and are in danger of suffering pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm after reaching
that stage as a result of the animal experiments performed.
A lab animal are Non-human vertebrates and cephalopods. Invertebrates are no lab animals. You can
do whatever you want with them. You can use a lab animal for research and also for educational
purpose that causes suffering for the animal. Lab animals can also be self-feeding larval forms and
fetal forms of mammals from entry of the last third of their normal development.
,Animal welfare law 1986 (def cfr 2010/63/EU)
Art. 23. § 1. The Flemish Government can lay down rules regarding the origin of the experimental
animals and determine special conditions with regard to keeping laboratory animals of different
categories. The Flemish Government can also prescribe rules to determine and monitor the origin of
the animals. However, dogs and cats must be registered with an indication of their origin.
Ideally the animals are purpose-bred because it has some advantages.
Laboratory animal - Origin:
RD2013 annex 1
Purpose (scientific use)-bred (license for breeding):
• Mouse (Mus musculus)
• Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
• Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)
• Syrian (golden) hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)
• Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus)
• Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)
• Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
• Dog (Canis familiaris)
• Cat (Felis catus)
• All species of non-human primates
• Frog ((Xenopus (laevis, tropicalis), Rana (Temporaria, pipiens))
• Zebra fish (Danio rerio)
These animals should be purpose-bred. This list can evolve, and you need to check it regularly for
updates. For example, Xenopus Laevis are not allowed to be used in Europe anymore because they
can escape and form a danger to our biodiversity.
RD2013 Purpose bred
There is a need for certain species of vertebrate animals used in procedures to be bred specifically
for that purpose so that their genetic, biological, and behavioral background is well- known to
persons undertaking the procedures. Such knowledge both increases the scientific quality and
reliability of the results and decreases the variability, ultimately resulting in fewer procedures and
reduced animal use.
Exemption in case animals in annex 1 are not available in sufficient numbers
• but necessary to proof this and
• guarantee that animals were bred in good circumstances) and
• guarantee that with these animals the scientific goals can be met and with the same numbers of
animals
• Approval from government necessary
You can use an animal from the previous list that is not purpose bred, but you need to proof that it is
justified to use them.
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,Animals taken from the wild:
= A previously free-living animal that has been captured or otherwise brought under the control of
man
• Capture per se is not a regulated procedure when performed by a competent person using
methods which do not cause the animal pain, suffering etc.
o Project evaluators should consider how the capture methods are as refined as possible
o Other possible consequences should be considered (and account for in the application)
• Many identification methods do cause pain, but again this is not a regulated procedure.
o Can be combined with tracking devices, but what is the effect (see next slide, drop off
possibility?)
o Is restraint or anesthesia needed? (often in those cases the identification step is turned
into a regulated procedure)
o Can be the same method used for management and research, but under a different
legislative framework
o E.g., Tracking of wolves and reindeer? Ringing of birds
Only larger animals need to be identified, So rodents do not need to get identified. When you do an
identification, you do not need approval for this, even when it is an invasive procedure (Microchip).
Laboratory animal – identification
RD2013
• Identification
o See lecture minimally invasive procedures
o ! Not considered animal experiment
• Reference to animal experiment (approval number)
• Register in-out (weaned animals only)
B. Animal experiment
Animal welfare law 1986
16. Animal experiment: any use, invasive or non-invasive, of an animal for experimental or other
scientific purposes, the result of which is known or unknown, or for educational purposes, which may
cause the animal as much or more pain, suffering, distress, or lasting damage equivalent to inserting
a needle in accordance with good veterinary practice. This includes any act the purpose or possible
consequence of which is the birth or hatching of an animal, or the bringing and keeping of a
genetically modified animal variety in such a condition but does not include the killing of animals
solely purpose of using their organs or tissues.
Suffering can be mental and physical. When you immediately kill an animal in a humane way without
prior experiment it is not considered as a lab experiment. Terminal experiment is a non-recovery
experiment where you anesthetize the animal and perform procedure on the animal where the
animal cannot recover from.
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, Animal welfare law 1986
Art. 30. § 1. Animal experiments of a didactic nature are only permitted in higher education and
insofar as they are indispensable for the training of the students and cannot be replaced by other
equivalent didactic methods.
§ 2. The Flemish Government can determine the conditions for undertaking animal experiments with
a view to training specialized personnel in the laboratories.
Animal experiment – purposes
RD 2013: Defines the purposes for which laboratory animals can be used:
• Basic research
• Translational or applied research with the following aims:
o Avoidance, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of disease, ill-health or other abnormality
or their effects in human beings, animals, or plants.
o The assessment, detection, regulation, or modification of physiological conditions in
human beings, animals, or plants.
o The welfare of animals and the improvement of the production conditions for animals
reared for agricultural purposes
• For any of the aims in point 2 in the development, manufacture or testing of the quality,
effectiveness and safety of drugs, foodstuffs and feedstuffs and other substances or products.
• Protection of the natural environment in the interests of the health or welfare of human beings
or animals
• Research aimed at preservation of the species
• Higher education or training for the acquisition, maintenance, or improvement of vocational
skills
• Forensic enquiries
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