CCAC Three Rs Microsite
Welcome to the Three Rs section of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) website.
This microsite aims to provide those involved with the use of animals in science with
easily accessible, useful, and relevant information and resources on the Three Rs -
Replacement, Reduction and Refinement alternatives.
Call for Feedback
The CCAC welcomes comments or suggestions about any part of this microsite (email ThreeRs@ccac.ca). We are
also actively looking for the following:
- examples of alternatives methods used in research - if you have published or
know of a published paper that uses a Replacement, Reduction or Refinement
alternative method, please let us know; and
- information on unusual species used in science.
Replacement alternatives refers to methods which avoid or replace the
use of animals in an area where animals would otherwise have been used. This includes
both absolute replacements (i.e. replacing animals with inanimate systems, such as
computer programs) and relative replacements (i.e. replacing more sentient animals,
such as vertebrates, with animals that current scientific evidence indicates have a
significantly lower potential for pain perception, such as some invertebrates).
Reduction alternatives refers to any strategy that will result in fewer
animals being used to obtain sufficient data to answer the research question, or in
maximizing the information obtained per animal and thus potentially limiting or avoiding
the subsequent use of additional animals, without compromising animal welfare.
Refinement alternatives refers to the modification of husbandry or
experimental procedures to minimize pain and distress, and to enhance the welfare
of an animal used in science from the time it is born until its death.
The CCAC is recognized at home and internationally as the centre for the Three Rs in
Canada. Integration of the Three Rs within Canada's national organization for the
stewardship of animal use in science ensures translation of the broadest range of
scientific knowledge into best practice for animal use.
Please be aware that information on the site is not meant to supplant CCAC
guidelines, and will not be used as a basis for recommendations made in CCAC
Assessment reports.
Call for Feedback
The CCAC welcomes comments or suggestions about any part of this microsite (email ThreeRs@ccac.ca). We are
also actively looking for the following:
- examples of alternatives methods used in research - if you have published or
know of a published paper that uses a Replacement, Reduction or Refinement
alternative method, please let us know; and
- information on unusual species used in science.
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