Laboratory mice are the most widely used vertebrate research animals globally. Refinements to their housing and management can substantially improve welfare while also enhancing the quality and reproducibility of research data.
Laboratory mice occupy a paradoxical position - they are essential to biomedical research that benefits humans and animals, yet their welfare has historically received far less attention than might be expected given their enormous numbers. Refinement science has demonstrated repeatedly that better welfare outcomes for laboratory mice are achievable without compromising research objectives, and often enhance them. The challenge is translating scientific knowledge about mouse behavioral needs into standard practice across thousands of research facilities. Regulatory frameworks, institutional animal care committees, and researcher education are all necessary to close the gap between what we know about mouse welfare and how mice are actually housed.