This appendix provides guidelines for the accommodation and care of animals, based on present knowledge and good practice. It explains and supplements the basic principles adopted in Article 5 of the Convention. The object of the appendix is thus to help authorities, institutions and individuals in their pursuit of the aims of the Council of Europe in this matter.

The General section provides guidelines on accommodation, housing and care relevant to all animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. Supplementary guidance concerning commonly used species is presented in specific sections. Where no information is included in these specific sections the provisions of the general section apply.

The species-specific sections are based on proposals made by expert groups on rodents, rabbits, dogs, cats, ferrets, non-human primates, farm species, mini-pigs, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish. In addition to these proposals, the expert groups also submitted background information to support their proposals, based on scientific evidence and practical experiences.