The 1996 Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Abstract

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide) was first published in 1963 under the title Guide for Laboratory Animal Facilities and Care and was revised in 1965, 1968, 1972, 1978, and 1985. More than 400,000 copies have been distributed since it was first published, and it is widely accepted as a primary reference on animal care and use. In 1991, an ad hoc committee appointed by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (ILAR) recommended that the Guide be revised. The Committee to Revise the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Committee) (see roster p 47) was appointed in 1993 by the National Research Council; its 15 members included research scientists, veterinarians, and nonscientists representing bioethics and the public's interest in animal welfare.