Figures relating to Appendix A
Tables relating to Appendix A
Appendix B
Convention
Explanatory Report
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Introduction
1. The physical facilities
1.1. Functions and general design
1.2. Holding rooms
1.3. Laboratories and general and special purpose procedure rooms
1.4. Service rooms
2. The environment in the holding rooms and its control
2.1. Ventilation
2.2. Temperature
2.3. Humidity
2.4. Lighting
2.5. Noise
2.6. Alarm systems
3. Care
3.1. Health
3.2. Capture
3.3. Packing and transport conditions
3.4. Reception and unpacking
3.5. Quarantine, isolation and acclimatisation
3.6. Caging
3.7. Feeding
3.8. Water
3.9. Bedding
3.10. Exercising and handling
3.11. Cleaning
3.12. Humane killing of animals
Introduction
Definitions
In this Appendix A, in addition to the definitions contained in Article 1.2 of the Convention:
a "holding rooms" mean rooms where animals are normally housed, either for breeding and stocking or during the conduct of a procedure;
b "cage" means a permanently fixed or movable container that is closed by solid walls and, at least on one side, by bars or meshed wire or, where appropriate, nets and in which one or more animals are kept or transported; depending on the stocking density and the size of the container, the freedom of movement of the animals is relatively restricted;
c "pen" means an area enclosed, for example, by walls, bars or meshed wire in which one or more animals are kept; depending on the size of the enclosure and the stocking density the freedom of movement of the animals is usually less restricted than in a cage;
d "run" means an area closed, for example, by fences, walls, bars or meshed wire and frequently situated outside permanently fixed buildings in which animals kept in cages or pens can move freely during certain periods of time in accordance with their ethological and physiological needs, such as exercise;
e "stall" means a small enclosure with three sides, usually a feed-rack and lateral separations, where one or two animals may be kept tethered.
1. The physical facilities
1.1. Functions and general design
1.1.1. "Any facility should be so constructed as to provide a suitable environment for the species housed. It should also be designed to prevent access by unauthorised persons.
Facilities that are part of a larger building complex should also be protected by proper building measures and arrangements that limit the number of entrances and prevent unauthorised traffic.
1.1.2. "It is recommended that there should be a maintenance programme for the facilities in order to prevent any defect of equipment.
1.2.1. "All necessary measures should be taken to ensure regular and efficient cleaning of the rooms and the maintenance of a satisfactory hygienic standard. Ceilings and walls should be damage-resistant with a smooth, impervious and easily washable surface. Special attention should be paid to junctions with doors, ducts, pipes and cables. Doors and windows, if any, should be constructed or protected so as to keep out unwanted animals. Where appropriate, an inspection window may be fitted in the door. Floors should be smooth, impervious and have a non-slippery, easily washable surface which can carry the weight of racks and other heavy equipment without being damaged. Drains, if any, should be adequately covered and fitted with a barrier which will prevent animals from gaining access.
1.2.2. "Rooms where the animals are allowed to run freely should have walls and floors with a particularly resistant surface material to stand up to the heavy wear and tear caused by the animals and the cleaning process. The material should not be detrimental to the health of the animals and be such that the animals cannot hurt themselves. Drains are desirable in such rooms. Additional protection should be given to any equipment or fixtures so that they may not be damaged by the animals or hurt the animals themselves. Where outdoor exercise areas are provided measures should be taken when appropriate to prevent access by the public and animals.
1.2.3. "Rooms intended for the holding of farm animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, poultry, etc.) should at least conform with the standards laid down in the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes and by national vererinary and other authorities.
1.2.4. "The majority of holding rooms are usually designed to house rodents. Frequently such rooms may also be used to house larger species. Care should be taken not to house together species which are incompatible.
1.2.5. "Holding rooms should be provided with facilities for carrying out minor procedures and manipulations, where appropriate.
1.3. Laboratories and general and special purpose procedure rooms
1.3.1. "At breeding or supplying establishments suitable facilities for making consignments of animals ready for disptach should be made available.
1.3.2. "All establishments should also have available as a mimimum laboratory facilities for the carrying out of simple diagnostic tests, post-mortem examinations, and/or the collection of samples which are to be subjected to more extensive laboratory investigations elsewhere.
1.3.3. "Provision should be made for the receipt of animals in such a way that incoming animals do not put at risk animals already present in the facility, for example by quarantining. General and special purpose procedure rooms should be made available for situations where it is undesirable to carry out the procedures or observations in the holding room.
1.3.4. "There should be appropriate accommodation for enabling animals which are ill or injured to be housed separately.
1.3.5. "Where appropriate, there should be provision for one or more separate rooms suitably equipped for the performance of surgical procedures under aseptic conditions. There should be facilities for post-operative recovery where this is warranted.
1.4.1. "Store rooms for food should be cool and dry, vermin and insect proof and those for bedding, dry, vermin and insect proof. Other materials, which may be contaminated or present a hazard, should be stored separately.
1.4.2. "Store rooms for clean cages, instruments and other equipment should be available.
1.4.3. "The cleaning and washing room should be large enough to accommodate the installations necessary to decontaminate and clean used equipment. The cleaning process should be arranged so as to separate the flow of clean and dirty equipment to prevent the contamination of newly cleaned equipment. Walls and floors should be covered with a suitably resistant surface material and the ventilation system should have ample capacity to carry away the excess heat and humidity.
1.4.4. "Provision should be made for the hygienic storage and disposal of carcasses and animal waste. If incineration on the site is not possible or desirable, suitable arrangements should be made for the safe disposal of such material having regard to local regulation and by-laws. Special precautions should be taken with highly toxic or radioactive waste.
1.4.5. "The design and construction of circulation areas should correspond to the standards of the holding rooms. The corridors should be wide enough to allow easy circulation of movable equipment.
2. The environment in the holding room and its control
2.1.1. "Holding rooms should have an adequate ventilation system which should satisfy the requirements of the species housed. The purpose of the ventilation system is to provide fresh air and to keep down the level of odours, noxious gases, dust and infectious agents of any kind. It also provides for the removal of excess heat and humidity.
2.1.2. "The air in the room should be renewed at frequent intervals. A ventilation rate of 15-20 air changes per hour is normally adequate. However, in some circumstances, where stocking density is low, 8-10 air changes per hour may suffice or mechanical ventilation may not even be needed at all. Other circumstances may necessitate a much higher rate of air change. Recirculation of untreated air should be avoided. However, it should be emphasised that even the most efficient system cannot compensate for poor cleaning routines or negligence.
2.1.3. "The ventilation system should be so designed as to avoid harmful draughts.
2.1.4. "Smoking in rooms where there are animals should be forbidden.
2.2.1. "Table 1 gives the range within which it is recommeded that the temperature should be maintained. It should also be emphasised that the figures apply only to adult, normal animals. Newborn and young animals will often require a much higher temperature level. The temperature of the premises should be regulated according to possible changes in the animals' thermal regulation which may be due to special physiological conditions or to the effects of the procedures.
2.2.2. "Under the climatic conditions prevailing in Europe it may be necessary to provide a ventilation system having the capacity both to heat and cool the air supplied.
2.2.3. "In user establishments a precise temperature control in the holding rooms may be required, because the environmental temperature is a physical factor which has a profound effect on the metabolism of all animals.
Extreme variations in relative humidity (RH) have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of animals. It is therefore recommended that the RH level in holding rooms should be appropriate to the species concerned and should ordinarily be maintained at 55% ± 10%. Values below 40% and above 70% RH for prolonged periods should be avoided.
In windowless rooms, it is necessary to provide controlled lighting both to satisfy the biological requirements of the animals and to provide a satisfactory working environment. It is also necessary to have a control of the intensity and of the light-dark cycle. When keeping albino animals, one should take into account their sensitivity to light (see also 2.6).
Noise can be an important disturbing factor in the animal quarters. Holding rooms and procedure rooms should be insulated against loud noise sources in the audible and in the higher frequencies in order to avoid disturbances in the behaviour and the physiology of the animals. Sudden noises may lead to considerable change in organ functions but, as they are often unavoidable, it is sometimes advisable to provide holding and procedure rooms with a continuous sound of moderate intensity such as soft music.
A facility housing a large number of animals is vulnerable. It is therefore recommended that the facility is duly protected by the installation of devices to detect fires and the intrusion of unauthorised persons. Technical defects or a break-down of the ventilation system is another hazard which could cause distress and even the death of animals, due to suffocation and overheating or, in less serious cases, have such negative effects on a procedure that it will be a failure and have to be repeated. Adequate monitoring devices should therefore be installed in connection with the heating and ventilation plant to enable the staff to supervise its operation in general. If warranted, a stand-by generator should be provided for the maintenance of life support systems for the animals and lighting in the event of a break-down or the withdrawal of supply. Clear instructions on emergency procedures should be prominently displayed. Alarms for fish tanks are recommended in case of failure of the water supply. Care should be taken to ensure that the operation of an alarm system causes as little disturbance as possible to the animals.
3. Care
3.1.1. The person in charge of the establishment should ensure regular inspection of the animals and supervision of the accommodation and care by a veterinarian or other competent person.
3.1.2. According to the assessment of the potential hazard to the animals, appropriate attention should be paid to the health and hygiene of the staff.
Wild and feral animals should be captured only by humane methods and by experienced persons who have a thorough knowledge of the habits and habitats of the animals to be caught. If an anaesthetic or any other drug has to be used in the capturing operation, it should be administered by a veterinarian or other competent person. Any animal which is seriously injured should be presented as soon as possible to a veterinarian for treatment. If the animal, in the opinion of the veterinarian, can only go on living with suffering or pain it should be killed at once by a humane method. In the absence of a veterinarian, any animal which may be seriously injured should be killed at once by a humane method.
3.3. Packing and transport conditions
All transportation is undoubtedly, for the animals, a stressful experience, which should be mitigated as far as possible. Animals should be in good health for transportation and it is the duty of the sender to ensure that they are so. Animals which are sick or otherwise out of condition should never be subjected to any transport which is not necessary for therapeutic or diagnostic reasons. Special care should be exercised with female animals in an advanced state of pregnancy. Female animals which are likely to give birth during the transport or which have done so within the preceding forty-eight hours, and their offspring, should be excluded from transportation. Every precaution should be taken by sender and carrier in packing, stowing and transit to avoid unnecessary suffering through inadequate ventilation, exposure to extreme temperatures, lack of feed and water, long delays, etc. The receiver should be properly informed about the transport details and documentary particulars to ensure quick handling and reception in the place of arrival. Even in the case of States which are not Parties to the European Convention on the Protection of Animals During International Transport, strict observance of the provisions of this Convention is recommended; strict observance of national laws and regulations as well as of the regulations for live animals of the International Air Transport Association and the Animal Air Transport Association is also recommended.
The consignments of animals should be received and unpacked without avoidable delay. After inspection, the animals should be transferred to clean cages or pens and be supplied with feed and water as appropriate. Animals which are sick or otherwise out of condition should be kept under close observation and separately from other animals. They should be examined by a veterinarian or other competent person as soon as possible and, where necessary, treated. Animals which do not have any chance to recover should be killed at once by a humane method. Finally, all animals received must be registered and marked in accordance with the provisions of Articles 16, 17 and 24 of the Convention. Transport boxes should be destroyed immediately if proper decontamination is impossible.
3.5. Quarantine, isolation and acclimatisation
3.5.1. The objects of quarantine are:
a to protect other animals in the establishment;
b to protect man against zoonotic infection;
c to foster good scientific practice.
Unless the state of health of animals introduced into an establishment is satisfactory, it is recommended that they should undergo a period of quarantine. In some cases, that of rabies, for example, this period may be laid down in the national regulations of the Party. In others, it will vary and should be determined by a competent person, according to the circumstances, normally the veterinarian appointed by the establishment (see also Table 2).
Animals may be used for procedures during the quarantine period as long as they have become acclimatised to their new environment and they present no significant risk to other animals or man.
3.5.2. It is recommended that facilities should be set aside in which to isolate animals showing signs of or suspected of ill-health and which might present a hazard to man or to other animals.
3.5.3. Even when the animals are seen to be in sound health it is good husbandry for them to undergo a period of acclimatisation before being used in a procedure. The time required depends on several factors, such as the stress to which the animals have been subjected which in turn depends on several factors such as the duration of the transportation and the age of the animal. This time shall be decided by a competent person.
3.6.1. It is possible to make a distinction between two broad systems of housing animals.
Firstly, there is the system found in breeding, supplying and user establishments in the bio-medical field designed to accommodate animals such as rodents, rabbits, carnivores, birds and non-human primates, sometimes also ruminants, swine and horses. Suggested guidelines for cages, pens, runs and stalls suitable for such facilities are presented in Tables 3 to 13. Supplementary guidance on minimum cage areas is found in Figures 1 to 7. Furthermore, a corresponding guidance for the appraisal of the stocking density in cages is presented in Figures 8 to 22.
Secondly, there is the system frequently found in establishments conducting procedures only on farm or similar large animals. The facilities in such establishments should not be less than those required by current veterinary standards.
3.6.2. Cages and pens should not be made out of material that is deterimental to the health of the animals, and their design should be such that the animals cannot injure themselves and, unless they are disposable, they should be made from a resistant material adapted to cleaning and decontamination techniques. In particular attention should be given to the design of cage and pen floors which should vary according to the species and age of the animals and be designed to facilitate the removal of excreta.
3.6.3. Pens should be designed for the well-being of the species. They should permit the satisfaction of certain ethological needs (for example, the need to climb, hide or shelter temporarily) and be designed for efficient cleaning and freedom from contact with other animals.
3.7.1. In the selection, production and preparation of feed, precautions should be taken to avoid chemical, physical and microbiological contamination. The feed should be packed in tight, closed bags, stamped with the production date when appropriate. Packing, transport and storing should also be such as to avoid contamination, deterioration or destruction. Store rooms should be cool, dark, dry and vermin and insect proof. Quickly perishable feed like greens, vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, etc. should be stored in cold rooms, refrigerators or freezers.
All feed hoppers, troughs or other utensils used for feeding should be regularly cleaned and if necessary sterilised. If moist feed is used or if the feed is easily contaminated with water, urine, etc., daily cleaning is necessary.
3.7.2. The feed distribution process may vary according to the species but it should be such as to satisfy the physiological needs of the animal. Provision should be made for each animal to have access to the feed.
3.8.1. Uncontaminated drinking water should always be available to all animals. During transport, it is acceptable to provide water as part of a moist diet. Water is however a vehicle of micro-organisms and the supply should therefore be so arranged that the hazard involved is minimised. Two methods are in common use, bottles and automatic systems.
3.8.2. Bottles are often used with small animals like rodents and rabbits. When bottles are used, they should be made from translucent material in order to enable their contents to be monitored. The design should be wide-mouthed for easy and efficient cleaning and, if plastic material is used, it should not be leachable. Caps, stoppers and pipes should also be sterilisable and easy to clean. All bottles and accessories should be taken to pieces, cleaned and sterilised at appropriate and regular periods. It is preferable that the bottles should be replaced by clean, sterilised ones rather than be refilled in the holding rooms.
3.8.3. Automatic drinking systems should be regularly checked, serviced and flushed to avoid accidents and the spread of infections. If solid-bottom cages are used, care should be taken to minimise the risk of flooding. Regular bacteriological testing of the system is also necessary to monitor the quality of the water.
3.8.4. Water received from public waterworks contains some micro-organisms which are usually considered to be harmless unless one is dealing with microbiologically defined animals. In such cases, the water should be treated. Water supplied by public waterworks is usually chlorinated to reduce the growth of micro-organisms. Such chlorination is not always enough to keep down the growth of certain potential pathogens, as for example Pseudomonas. As an additional measure, the level of chlorine in the water could be increased or the water could be acidified to achieve the desired effect.
3.8.5. In fishes, amphibians and reptiles, tolerance for acidity, chlorine and many other chemicals differs widely from species to species. Therefore provision should be made to adapt the water supply for aquariums and tanks to the needs and tolerance limits of the individual species.
Bedding should be dry, absorbent, non-dusty, non-toxic and free from infectious agents or vermin, or any other form of contamination. Special care should be taken to avoid using sawdust or bedding material derived from wood which has been treated chemically. Certain industrial by-products or waste, such as shredded paper, may be used.
3.10.1. It is advisable to take every possible opportunity to let animals take exercise.
3.10.2. The performance of an animal during a procedure depends very much on its confidence in man, something which has to be developed. The wild or feral animal will probably never become an ideal experimental animal. It is different with the domesticated animal born and raised in contact with man. The confidence once established should however be preserved. It is therefore recommended that frequent contact should be maintained so that the animals become familar with human presence and activity. Where appropriate time should be set aside for talking, handling and grooming. The staff should be sympathetic, gentle and firm when associating with animals.
3.11.1. The standard of a facility depends very much on good hygiene. Clear instructions should be given for the changing of bedding in cages and pens.
3.11.2. Adequate routines for the cleaning, washing, decontamination and, when necessary, sterilisation of cages and accessories, bottles and other equipment should be established. A very high standard of cleanliness and order should also be maintained in holding, washing and storage rooms.
3.11.3. There should be regular cleaning and, where appropriate, renewal of the material forming the ground surface in outdoor pens, cages and runs to avoid them becoming a source of infection and parasite infestation.
3.12. Humane killing of animals
3.12.1. All humane methods of killing animals require expertise which can only be attained by appropriate training.
3.12.2. A deeply unconscious animal can be exsanguinated but drugs which paralyse muscles before unconsciousness occurs, those with curariform effects and electrocution without passage of current through the brain, should not be used without prior anaesthesia.
Carcass disposal should not be allowed until rigor mortis occurs.