Animal research is saving lives, but funding is needed to improve welfare: Submission to the New South Wales parliamentary inquiry

Many kinds of animal research are occurring in New South Wales (NSW), with biomedical among the most prominent. As behavioural neuroscientists, we study neural mechanisms motivation and cognition rodents, which is important for developing new treatments a range psychological disorders, such as substance use disorder, well neurodegenerative diseases Alzheimer’s. The welfare wellbeing animals critical importance, not only to ensure quality our data but sense morality compassionate human beings. Biomedical highly regulated pharmacological biological tools pose negligible risks public. Meanwhile, brings enormous benefits NSW by building expertise supporting biotechnology companies. Although on complex behaviours cannot be replaced non-animal procedures, believe that there much scope refinement improvement NSW. For example, investing local breeding facility produce used projects would significantly reduce stress associated importing from interstate or overseas. Additionally, standard housing could improved through targeted ongoing investment refit facilities support additional caretaker veterinary staff provide higher degrees welfare.