For over 60 years, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has been advocating better care, handling and housing for animals in research. AWI furthers this mission by providing those in research laboratories with a variety of complimentary reference books; a subscription to the AWI Quarterly; membership in the Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum (an online discussion group for laboratory personnel); and the opportunity to apply for grants to study and develop ways to improve the housing and handling of animals in research or to implement better practices.
AWI Position Statement on Research and Testing with Animals
AWI presses for greater protection of animals in laboratories in part through stronger enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act and extension of the law’s coverage to all animals subject to experimentation. We also work to promote advancements in species-appropriate enrichment for animals in research, retirement opportunities for former laboratory animals, and increased compliance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. We provide public comments, formal testimony, and presentations in support of our mission; examples can be found below.