Preface to The Code of Practice for Care and Use of Animals for Experimental Purposes
Research in Hong Kong is well respected. Along with this, the need to ensure
that research using animals complies with the internationally accepted concepts of
Replacement, Reduction and Refinement in the use of research animals has never
been greater or more important.
The Code of Practice for Care and Use of Animals for Experimental Purposes
that has been developed by the Animal Welfare Advisory Group and produced by the
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is one part of the overall strategy
being adopted by universities, private research laboratories and the HKSAR
Government to better ensure that research being performed in Hong Kong institutions
is carried out using animals in a humane manner, with the least number of animals
required, and, where possible, using non-animal alternatives.
The Animal Welfare Advisory Group would like to thank Dr Tony James of The
Chinese University of Hong Kong and Dr KS Lo of The University of Hong Kong
and other members of the team in developing the Code, the members of Animal
Welfare Advisory Group for providing advice and guidance and those institutions,
individuals and the staff of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and
Department of Health who provided much valuable input into the various drafts of the
Code thereby enabling the production of the final document. It is hoped that this
document will be seen as a valuable resource and will be used to ensure that research
using animals in Hong Kong is justified and humane.
Mr Nelson LAM
Chairman, Animal Welfare Advisory Group
December 2004
Hong Kong