title: A Good Death? Report of the Second Newcastle Meeting on Laboratory Animal Euthanasia.
abstract: Millions of laboratory animals are killed each year worldwide. There is an ethical, and in many countries also a legal, imperative to ensure those deaths cause minimal suffering. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding what methods of killing are humane for many species and stages of development. In 2013, an international group of researchers and stakeholders met at Newcastle University, United Kingdom to discuss the latest research and which methods could currently be considered most humane for the most commonly used laboratory species (mice, rats and zebrafish). They also discussed factors to consider when making decisions about appropriate techniques for particular species and projects, and priorities for further research. This report summarises the research findings and discussions, with recommendations to help inform good practice for humane killing.
authors: Research Animals Department, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS, UK. penny.hawkins@rspca.org.uk.
authors: Penny
authors: P
authors: Hawkins
authors: National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK. mark.prescott@nc3rs.org.uk.
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: Prescott
authors: Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. larry.carbone@ucsf.edu.
authors: Larry
authors: L
authors: Carbone
authors: Animals in Science Regulation Unit, Home Office Science, 1st Floor Peel NE, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF, UK. n.dennison@dundee.ac.uk.
authors: Ngaire
authors: N
authors: Dennison
authors: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Private Bag 11 222, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. c.b.johnson@massey.ac.nz.
authors: Craig
authors: C
authors: Johnson
authors: Animal Welfare Program, University of British Colombia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. makowska@interchange.ubc.ca.
authors: I Joanna
authors: IJ
authors: Makowska
authors: Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Freie Universität Berlin, Koserstraße 20, Berlin 14195, Germany. marquardt@berliner-fortbildungen.de.
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Marquardt
authors: School of Biology, University of Plymouth, Smeaton 008D, Drakes Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. gareth.readman@plymouth.ac.uk.
authors: Gareth
authors: G
authors: Readman
authors: Animal Welfare Program, University of British Colombia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. dan.weary@ubc.ca.
authors: Daniel M
authors: DM
authors: Weary
authors: Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK. golledge@ufaw.org.uk.
authors: Huw D R
authors: HD
authors: Golledge
keywords: 3Rs; animal welfare; carbon dioxide; euthanasia; humane killing; mouse; rat; refinement; zebrafish