Placement of former Laboratory Animals: The UZH Rehoming Project

Since 2018, laboratory animals, mainly small rodents such as rats and mice, have been adopted into the rehoming project and placed with private pet owners. The basis is a funding agreement between the Swiss Animal Protection SPA and the University of Zurich. The aim is to find suitable animals from animal experiments a new life in good places.

So far, hundreds of animals (mice, rats, rabbits and dogs) have been placed.

UZH / USZ employees can have their laboratory animals placed anonymously via the Office for Animal Welfare and 3R. All animal species but no genetically modified animals can be handed over.

Please contact the 3R Coordinator or animal welfare officer in good time. We will be happy to clarify whether your animals are suitable for the rehoming program and whether or what costs will be incurred for the placement. The office takes over the entire organization of the placement.

Former laboratory animals such as rats, mice, rabbits or dogs are placed via the Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) after thorough examination and consultation with the new owners.

Former lab rats of the UZH or other Swiss universities are placed e.g. byClub der Rattenfreunde.

Rats and all other animal species can also be found viaadopt a pet.

If you work with animals at UZH, you need to clarify whether the private keeping of certain types of animals is accepted by your UZH animal facility before adopting them.