Two areas in which this problem has become evident are the humanisation of animals and society’s understanding of the concept of “animal dignity”. This is why support needs to be given to projects that study knowledge of animals’ needs and promote understanding of animals in society. They include the following:
- A scientific basis for evaluating animal protection or animal welfare using quantitative and qualitative methods of animal welfare research;
- Elimination of animal welfare problems relating to existing forms of husbandry, improvement and development of new concepts for managing livestock, pets, laboratory and wild animals;
- The relationship between animal protection or welfare, animal health and food safety in various forms of husbandry from the viewpoint of the population and the individual animal;
- Evaluation of the impact of existing and future animal welfare regulations on the welfare of animals;
- Cost-benefit analyses of animal welfare measures and animal-friendly husbandry systems in cooperation with farmers;
- Research relating to the approval procedure for barn equipment;
- Replacing, reducing and refining breeding, husbandry and management interventions and actions involving animals;
- Aspects of breeding relevant for animal welfare;
- Stunning and killing methods;
- Evaluation of the informative value and benefit of animal studies.
The 3R Research Foundation is the central point of contact for research projects relating to 3R (reduction, refinement and replacement of animal studies). Financial support for 3R research is provided by the FSVO and Interpharma in equal parts. The priority areas in 3R research are:
- Projects in which results from animal studies are reproduced using an alternative method such that the results provide information on the relevance of the in vitro test or the informative value of the in vivo method;
- Projects with 3R effects relating to stressful animal models of disease;
- Alternative methods in acute and chronic toxicology testing;
- Alternative methods in vaccine development, batch testing and quality control.