Mice and rats constitute the majority of animals used in biomedical research. Applying the 3Rs framework — Replacement, Reduction, Refinement — can significantly improve their welfare without compromising scientific outcomes.
Laboratory rodent welfare is an area where meaningful improvement is achievable within existing research frameworks. The 3Rs principle of Refinement — improving procedures to reduce suffering — can be applied broadly and consistently without scientific compromise. Better pain management, enriched housing, social grouping, and earlier humane endpoints all reduce suffering while often improving data quality. The challenge is converting institutional commitment to the 3Rs from policy to practice in individual laboratories.