Benjamin, K. 2024. Make training easier with a scruffing restraint device. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 12(2) (March/April), 38-39.

If you conduct technical training with mice at your institution, a scruffing restraint device is a valuable addition to your training aid tool kit. A scruffing restraint device, such as the ScruffGuard offered by Research Devices, is a small, simple restraint tool with varied applications. Our team first found it as part of a search for viable training aids to further promote the 3Rs within our program. We found and created many great tools, but a scruffing restraint device is one of our most frequently used and valuable purchases. A scruffing restraint device is designed to be placed over a mouse so that the loose skin can be pulled through the opening at the top, allowing for effective restraint with a barrier between the mouse and handler. One of the first applications we discovered for this device was to familiarize new handlers to the concept of scruffing a mouse. People who have never worked with mice can be hesitant to touch them and worried about being bitten. Using this device, we can show trainees how much extra skin is available to be scruffed and start restraining live mice safely. Our program has received great feedback from new trainees who used the device to gain confidence and familiarity with the animals. This tool has helped our program exemplify the 3Rs as we use fewer animals to reach training signoffs, and the likelihood of both animal and human injury is also reduced. A scruffing restraint device is easy to use, promotes the 3Rs, and improves overall animal welfare. I highly recommend trying it out in your program to see the difference it can make.