A glimpse into our Animal Husbandry

In our animal facility, we adhere not only to the regulations but also to the latest recommendations on animal welfare. The picture shows what is known as “tunnel handling”, a low-stress method of lifting or transporting mice using tubes without having to handle them directly.

Our animal caretakers check the animals’ health daily (including Sundays and public holidays).

A glimpse into a typical animal facility room. At the so-called ‘transfer stations’, the cages are opened and the animals are transferred to fresh cages. This is important to protect the animals from germs and pathogens in the environment. 

As part of animal experiments, frequent measurements of tumour size, along with the associated documentation and thus compliance with termination criteria, are necessary. Here, a digital caliper is used to determine the current tumour size. 

A glimpse inside one of our mouse cages. The water bottle is inserted into the lid from the outside and is not visible in the picture. As mice do not like to be alone, they may only be kept individually in justified exceptional cases. Depending on requirements, a mouse house, a running wheel or other wooden climbing structures are placed in the cage.

A good acclimatization period ensures a visible reduction in the animals’ distress levels. Pictured here is a rat on a veterinarian’s hand.