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Guidelines for Animal Welfare in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine
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　Considering the increase in zoo and wildlife medicine and heightened world-wide concern regarding animal welfare in recent years, we, the Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (hereinafter referred to as JASWM) have drafted new guidelines for animal welfare that encompass all animals both in zoos and in the wild. The JASWM hereby proposes codified rules to serve as guidelines in protecting the dignity and the quality of life (QOL) of animals in zoos and in the wild that are used as subjects for various studies involving zoo and wildlife medicine. The JASWM is seeking improvement in the situation of animals used in violation of these guidelines. In awareness, in response to growing public awareness concerning animal welfare, the JASWM will review these guidelines at specific intervals for the purpose of revising and improving them.

1．Purpose
　The purpose of these guidelines is to establish principles to secure the QOL of animals used in studies involving zoo and wildlife medicine (including collection, care and experiments), and to seek further conservation of the natural environment, animal welfare and the proper use of animals.
2．Obligation
　All members of the JASWM have an obligation to faithfully observe and fulfill these guidelines.
3．Scope
　These guidelines apply to all animals in zoos and in the wild that are used in various research projects conducted in the fields, in zoological parks and at universities.
4．Research planning
　In planning their researches, researchers must take into consideration ways to minimize the effects on the animals and the ecosystem by seeking advice from specialists in ecology or in animals used as experiment subjects.
5．Collection
　The collection of animals for research purposes must comply with all of the conditions noted below.
  • 5-1．The process of collections may not involve infringement or violation of any related rules and regulations, domestic and international, in any form.
  • 5-2．Acquisition of animals should be legal and should fully take into account the conservation of the animal species.
  • 5-3．The role of the animals should be clearly defined in the planning of the research.
  • 5-4．The condition of the animals, including the gender, ages and characteristics, should be appropriate to the purposes and requirements of the researches.
  • 5-5．Animals collected for research purposes should be transported in the optimum way to minimize the stress placed on them to the utmost limit.
6．Care
　In terms of the care of animals that have been collected, researchers should take into consideration the conservation of the animals and animal welfare by checking the following conditions.
  • 6-1．Full care must be given to animals used in the research to provide highest possible QOL for them.
  • 6-2．The care facilities, including equipment, and instruments, should be appropriate to habits and physiology of the particular animals involved.
  • 6-3．Any information required in order to provide optimal animal care and to conduct the research in the optimal manner should be obtained before the care of the animals is undertaken.
  • 6-4．Animal technicians should be fully trained and should have mastered the knowledge and skills required in order to treat the pertinent animal species appropriately.
  • 6-5．An appropriate environment should be provided for animal care prior to the start of experiments.
7．Experiments
　Effect caused by the experiment on the environment and animal population should be minimized, and researchers should observe the conditions noted below.
  • 7-1．Researchers should make every effort to avoid causing needless pain to animals.
  • 7-2．Safety should be given every consideration by researchers in the course of the experiments.
  • 7-3．When planning their projects, researchers should carefully consider how animals used in the experiment will be disposed of, including release or euthanization.
8．Euthanization
　Euthanization should be done based on a veterinarian's decisions, taking into consideration the QOL and protection against infectious diseases.
9．Compliance with related laws
　Domestic and international laws and regulations governing animal collection, care and study should be fully understood and complied with.
10．Animal welfare committee
　To help achieve the objectives defined herein, the JASWM should formulate an animal welfare committee, the details of which shall be provided separately by the JASWM.
11．Revisions
　All amendments and revisions to these guidelines shall be discussed and approved by the board of directors, and are subject to approval by the membership at general meetings of the JASWM.
12．Supplementary provision
　These guidelines shall take effect on June 27th, 2003.