The transport of animals between breeding facilities and research institutions is a significant source of stress and welfare harm. Improving transport standards reduces suffering and also improves scientific data quality.
Transport of laboratory animals causes measurable and meaningful welfare harm through the combination of motion stress, social disruption, novel environment exposure, and temperature variability. Animals transported internationally may experience these stressors for many hours. Beyond the direct welfare cost, transport stress alters the physiological state of animals, introducing experimental variability that undermines scientific rigor — creating a strong practical argument alongside the ethical one for minimizing transport stress. Improving transport conditions through better container design, reduced journey times, appropriate social housing during transport, and mandatory recovery periods before use are all implementable improvements that benefit both animal welfare and research quality.