New Centre Opens to Rehome Animals Used in Lab Research

After almost a decade of dedicating her life to rehoming animals previously used in laboratory research, Paula Wallace has turned her vision into a reality.

Cradling a guinea pig in her hands, she walks through The Liberty Adoption Centre, at Wyong, on the NSW Central Coast.

She described as the moment as a "landmark" for animal welfare in Australia.

"They come from a very wide range of research settings … from human and animal disease research, but also product testing … there's over 300 accredited research establishments in New South Wales."

The centre can hold up to 120 small animals, while they wait for their forever homes.

It is a humble building, fitted out with purpose-built enclosures for rats, rabbits, mice and guinea pigs that had previously only ever known life inside a laboratory.

"Their experience in those research facilities varies widely because there's a diversity in the way that animals are housed … and the sort of training that's provided to researchers," Ms Wallace said.

"So our job is really to understand what the animals need and provide them with support every step of the journey."

In NSW, organisations are only required to report on the fate of dogs and cats used in research, so it is unclear how many smaller animals are euthanised.

But advocacy group Animals Australia estimates the number to be hundreds of thousands a year.

Ms Wallace first started taking animals into her home in 2017 after connecting with a small number of research facilities.

"We really relied on the generosity of ordinary people to open their homes and take in our animals while we were finding them a permanent home," Ms Wallace said.

The Liberty Foundation's animal rehoming program relies on donations.

The launch of the centre was made possible through a grant from the NSW government, but ongoing funding is yet to be secured.

'Dogs of the rodent world'

Monika Ryniewicz and Ignacio Larralde took in three foster rats last year and quickly became what they described as "foster failures".

"We had them for about three months and just realised that we couldn't think of them moving on to a home that just wasn't ours," Ms Ryniewicz said.

"They're just part of the family now, and they know it too, they know their spot on the couch, they know who's going to give them more snacks … they're very smart."

The couple knew they wanted to adopt a pet ethically and saw former lab rats as the perfect choice.

"I just loved what it represented, a second chance for animals outside of research. I knew that we could offer a safe haven for them," Ms Ryniewicz said.

"It just makes such a difference knowing that now for the rest of their lives they're just going to be spoiled with treats, with lots of cuddles, all the best things."

Ms Wallace said the couple's reaction to taking rats in as pets was not unusual.

"People often refer to rats as being the dogs of the rodent world because they do have very similar characteristics," she said.

Life after the lab

Before the rehoming facility opened, Gemma Field fostered three New Zealand White Rabbits that had been involved in human disease research.

"When these came, initially they were quite shut down,"

she said.

"I kind of worried about the people who might have worked with them before, in their previous life."

With time and love, the animals opened up and settled in with the family.

"They've helped people with the research and now it's their time to have a break," Ms Field said.

Ms Field found people were surprised to learn where the animals had come from.

"People aren't aware that there's so many animals used in animal research [in Australia],"

she said.

"[But] it is our issue and it is something that we should all be aware of."

Rehoming research animals in NSW is not mandatory, but is encouraged where possible.

Liberty Adoption Centre manager Nadia Capliss was hopeful the launch of the facility would pave the way for others.

"Hopefully [this] will be the flagship of how we treat animals after research and create pathways as commonplace rather than a rare occasion," she said.