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Technical University of Munich

Animal welfare officers, animal facility managers, and animal welfare committees ensure good animal welfare in research

At TUM, protecting laboratory animals is a key concern in scientific research. Several responsible bodies ensure that animals are kept, bred, and used in research in an ethical manner that complies with the law. The government of Upper Bavaria reviews and approves the university's applications for animal testing, while the responsible veterinary offices monitor compliance with legal requirements in animal husbandry and research. Within the university, animal facility managers, animal welfare officers, and animal welfare committees accompany and monitor the processes related to animal-based research, thus contributing significantly to ensuring high animal welfare standards at TUM.

Animal welfare officers

Every research institution that keeps, breeds, or uses animals for scientific purposes must appoint at least one animal welfare officer (Section 10 of the Animal Welfare Act (TierSchG) and Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Ordinance (TierSchVersV)). There are nine animal welfare officers at TUM. They supervise the research facilities that keep animals. 

Animal welfare officers are usually veterinarians who, as experts, have undergone further training in veterinary medicine for laboratory animals or animal welfare. They undergo regular training, work independently, and play a key role at the interface between research, animal care, and the relevant authorities.

The Animal Welfare Laboratory Animal Ordinance (Section 5) regulates the work of animal welfare officers.
Their tasks include, among other things:

  • Advising researchers, animal caretakers, and animal facility managers on the implementation of legal animal welfare requirements
  • Reviewing and commenting on animal testing applications
  • Promoting measures that improve animal welfare, e.g., reducing and replacing experiments to an essential minimum, improving animal welfare, and refining experimental methods (= 3R principle: Reduce, Replace, Refine) 

Animal facility managers

According to Section 11 of the Animal Welfare Act, a permit is required to breed and keep laboratory animals, and an animal facility manager must be appointed. 

All TUM animal facilities are managed by experienced and competent managers in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Welfare Laboratory Animal Ordinance.

The tasks of animal facility management are regulated by the Animal Welfare Laboratory Animal Ordinance (Sections 1-5). These include, among other things:

  • Organization of the operation of the animal facility and all processes, ensuring compliance with all animal welfare regulations
  • Regular review of the housing conditions for potential improvements and corresponding implementation
  • Providing information about animals to employees and researchers
  • Staff training and continuing education 

Animal Welfare Committees

In addition to animal welfare officers, animal facility managers, and project managers, all TUM animal facilities have animal welfare committees, as mandated by the Animal Welfare Ordinance for Laboratory Animals (Section 6). 

The committees are formed according to location, department, or animal species. They exchange information regularly and support the work of the animal welfare officers, who can submit topics for discussion to the committee.

The legally prescribed composition and scope of responsibilities of an animal welfare committee are derived from the Animal Welfare Laboratory Animal Ordinance (Section 6).

Its tasks include, among other things:

  • Providing advice on issues relating to the improvement of breeding, husbandry, and care of animals
  • Taking up topics raised by the animal welfare officers
  • Monitoring the development of animal experiments and their results, considering the effects on the animals used
  • Supporting programs for the aftercare and accommodation of animals after experiments

Further developing animal welfare standards

Animal welfare officers, animal facility managers, and animal welfare committees ensure animal welfare and the consistent implementation of the 3R principle (reduce, replace, refine). Additionally, TUM established the TUM Animal Welfare and Science Council (TUM AWC), a central committee that continually improves the quality standards of animal-based research. These efforts actively promote animal welfare at the university and strengthen the innovative power of alternative research methods.

Members, goals, and tasks of the TUM AWC

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