3Hs Initiative: Housing

The 3Hs Initiative is a research-led educational programme focused on improving the welfare of laboratory rats and mice through better Housing, Handling and Habituation. Developed by the Psychopharmacology Research Group at the University of Bristol, established by Professor Emma Robinson in 2007, the initiative shares evidence-based methods for enhancing animals’ positive experiences and reducing cumulative distress. Its core aims include improving living environments, reducing aversive physical restraint, preparing animals gradually for handling and procedures, and objectively assessing welfare outcomes.

The initiative provides learning modules tailored to rats and mice, featuring practical guidance, videos, photographs and validation data where available. Topics include environmental enrichment, low-stress handling, habituation protocols, and approaches to substance administration, including voluntary oral dosing. Additional resources cover methods for measuring affective state, refined procedures, and improving the translational validity of animal research. The site also offers a webinar, downloadable protocols and guidance documents, and a continuing professional development quiz with a certificate.