Approaches to the humane euthanasia of research animals

Researchers who work with animals must sometimes euthanize those animals for scientific or ethical reasons. Any method used for euthanasia must be safe to personnel and should produce rapid and painless death to the animal, unless otherwise justified for scientific reasons. Review of proposed methods by an ethics committee or institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) can help ensure that a method appropriate to the research objectives, which considers humane treatment of the animal, is used. Both physical methods and those that use drugs or chemicals have been developed which, when used properly, allow for humane euthanasia. In all cases it is essential that personnel be properly trained so that whatever method is used, euthanasia is conducted in a way that minimizes distress to the animal.