Introduction
Working with animals in a research setting involves frequent human-animal interactions for husbandry, veterinary, and research procedures. It is an ethical responsibility to handle animals using best practices to minimise stress and promote positive interactions. Lifting mice (Mus musculus) by the tail is a common handling technique, but there is strong evidence that it is aversive (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; de Jesus Reference de Jesus2025). Mice do not habituate to this handling method, and the technique can cause stress, affecting physiology, behaviour, and affective state, as well as confounding research results (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; Everds et al. Reference Everds, Snyder, Bailey, Bolon, Creasy, Foley, Rosol and Sellers2013; Ghosal et al. Reference Ghosal, Nunley, Mahbod, Lewis, Smith, Tong, D’Alessio and Herman2015; Ono et al. Reference Ono, Sasaki, Nagasaki, Torigoe, Ichii, Sasaki and Agui2016; Nakamura & Suzuki Reference Nakamura and Suzuki2018; Marcotte et al. Reference Marcotte, Bernardo, Linga, Pérez-Romero, Guillou, Sibille and Prevot2021; Redaelli et al. Reference Redaelli, Bosi, Luzi, Cappella, Zerbi, Ludwig, Di Lernia, Roughan, Porcu and Soranna2021). Recently, there have been more discussions on using refined handling methods with rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice. While the research is less clear for rats (Kylie et al. Reference Kylie, Cooper, Kurpinski, Chase, Muzyka and Plachta2024; O’Malley et al. Reference O’Malley, Paterson, Kylie, Thurston, Tambadou, Ekundayo, Puoliväli, Collymore and Turner2026), tail handling is still a common practice (Burn et al. Reference Burn, Camacho and Hockenhull2023) and there is evidence that tail handling is aversive for rats as well (Lorenzini et al. Reference Lorenzini, Bucherelli, Giachetti and Tassoni1990). Additionally, because of their larger size, there is a risk of tail degloving when picking rats up by the tail, suggesting that tail handling should be avoided.
Refined handling methods for picking up mice include: (1) cup handling: gently scooping the animal from the sides onto the palm of one or both hands; and (2) tunnel handling: gently guiding animals into a tunnel to lift them (can also include using other in-cage furniture or scooping devices to lift the mice). For rats, refined handling refers to: (1) body handling: lifting the body of the rat with one or both hands (there are varying techniques for this, such as chest and bottom support, and cupping [Burn et al. Reference Burn, Camacho and Hockenhull2023]); and (2) tunnel handling: as described for mice (Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2013). Refined handling is also referred to as low-stress handling or non-aversive handling, terms used interchangeably in the early implementation training materials described below.
Implementing refined handling methods benefits animal welfare, scientific integrity, and employee satisfaction. Refined handling reduces anxiety, chronic stress, fear, and depressive-like behaviour, moving the animals from negative or neutral welfare states to more positive welfare states (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2013, Reference Gouveia and Hurst2019; Ghosal et al. Reference Ghosal, Nunley, Mahbod, Lewis, Smith, Tong, D’Alessio and Herman2015; Clarkson et al. Reference Clarkson, Dwyer, Flecknell, Leach and Rowe2018, Reference Clarkson, Leach, Flecknell and Rowe2020; Nakamura & Suzuki Reference Nakamura and Suzuki2018; Marcotte et al. Reference Marcotte, Bernardo, Linga, Pérez-Romero, Guillou, Sibille and Prevot2021; de Jesus Reference de Jesus2025). This has measurable impacts on scientific parameters, including, improved reproductive performance (Hull et al. Reference Hull, Reynolds and Nunamaker2022, Reference Hull, Nunamaker and Reynolds2024), improved glucose tolerance (Ghosal et al. Reference Ghosal, Nunley, Mahbod, Lewis, Smith, Tong, D’Alessio and Herman2015), and improved reliability in behavioural tests (Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2017; Nakamura & Suzuki Reference Nakamura and Suzuki2018; Neely et al. Reference Neely, Lane, Torres and Flinn2018). It can also lead to reductions in stress hormone levels (Ghosal et al. Reference Ghosal, Nunley, Mahbod, Lewis, Smith, Tong, D’Alessio and Herman2015; Ono et al. Reference Ono, Sasaki, Nagasaki, Torigoe, Ichii, Sasaki and Agui2016; Marcotte et al. Reference Marcotte, Bernardo, Linga, Pérez-Romero, Guillou, Sibille and Prevot2021; Redaelli et al. Reference Redaelli, Bosi, Luzi, Cappella, Zerbi, Ludwig, Di Lernia, Roughan, Porcu and Soranna2021). Refined handling methods result in more positive human-animal contact and a positive human animal bond (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010) as demonstrated by mice being more likely to voluntarily approach human handlers (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2013, Reference Gouveia and Hurst2019; Nakamura & Suzuki Reference Nakamura and Suzuki2018; Roughan & Sevenoaks Reference Roughan and Sevenoaks2019; Clarkson et al. Reference Clarkson, Leach, Flecknell and Rowe2020; Marcotte et al. Reference Marcotte, Bernardo, Linga, Pérez-Romero, Guillou, Sibille and Prevot2021). These improvements to human-animal relationships increase employee compassion satisfaction (LaFollette et al. Reference LaFollette, Riley, Cloutier, Brady, O’Haire and Gaskill2020) and professional quality of life (Young et al. Reference Young, Ferrara, Kelly, Martin, Thompson-Iritani and LaFollette2024).
Despite the evidence that tail handling is aversive, it is still a common handling method (Henderson et al. Reference Henderson, Smulders and Roughan2020; Young et al. Reference Young, Goldsteen, Nunamaker, Prescott, Reynolds, Thompson-Iritani, Thurston, Martin and LaFollette2023). As more evidence becomes available, it is becoming an ethical imperative to adopt refined handling. A Culture of Care promotes continuous improvement, with a proactive approach to implementing the 3Rs, going beyond minimum standards of care, and demonstrating respectful behaviour towards the animals we work with (Robinson et al. Reference Robinson, White, Wilkes and Wilkinson2022). Achieving widespread adoption of new techniques in research animal care requires more than technical training. It calls for a strong, values-driven approach to change management that centres on the 3Rs and a Culture of Care.
Organisational change management refers to the actions a business takes to change or adjust a significant component of its organisation. It involves deliberate efforts to outline the steps needed and create new experiences for employees that will foster the beliefs and mindset necessary to achieve desired results (Jalagat Reference Jalagat2016). First, it is important to consider how the change will occur, outlining the operational and organisational actions that will need to happen. This includes considering the why, to help change opinions and behaviours of employees to support the change. Using an organisational change management approach, such as Prosci ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) (Hiatt Reference Hiatt2006; Devi & Thekkekara Reference Devi and Thekkekara2023), provides a road map for organisations to successfully implement widespread change. ADKAR is a goal-oriented model that focuses on what employees need to make the change successful. ADKAR provides a five-step guide (Figure 1) that raises awareness, answers why it is important, addresses concerns and potential challenges, and provides the tools needed to reach the desired result (Hiatt Reference Hiatt2006). Each step provides metrics that can be used to measure success as well as to identify any gaps that need to be addressed. ADKAR focuses on how to initiate an organisational change while incorporating aspects of convincing employees why the change is important (Devi & Thekkekara Reference Devi and Thekkekara2023; Arbaein et al. Reference Arbaein, Alharbi, Alzhrani, Monshi, Alzahrani and Alsadi2024). The Results Pyramid is another change management model that focuses on the why, considering the employees’ needs. The model presents a hierarchical framework (Figure 1) that focuses on the interconnectedness of experience, beliefs, and actions to achieve results, or behavioural change (Connors & Smith Reference Connors and Smith2012). By understanding the cultural drivers of performance, leaders can develop strategies that influence these factors, leading to the desired organisational outcomes (Connors & Smith Reference Connors and Smith2022).
The ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) and Results Pyramid Change Management Models. ADKAR is a five-step organisational change management model focusing on how the change will occur. The Results Pyramid is a change management model represented in a hierarchal framework that focuses on why the change is needed, considering employee needs. The Results Pyramid and ADKAR models can be combined to support organisational change.
Figure 1 Long description
The Results Pyramid is shown with each step described and represented in a different color. Next to each step is a short definition box with each step of ADKAR represented in the same color of the step of the Results Pyramid that it coordinates to. Results/Reinforcement, Actions/Ability and Knowledge, Beliefs/Desire, and Experiences/Awareness.
The goal of this project was to move from traditional tail handling to refined handling for mice and rats by utilising organisational change management strategies. This paper will describe organisational actions using the ADKAR and Results Pyramid models to achieve widespread adoption of refined handling.
Materials and methods
The described refined handling initiative was conducted at Charles River Laboratories (Wilmington, MA, USA), a global contract research organisation. The initiative was organised by Global Animal Welfare, an internal corporate group that focuses on animal welfare risk management, employee training, and behavioural management programmes. Global Animal Welfare acted as the implementation team, driving the change management strategies, maintaining communication between the various stakeholder groups, and monitoring success over time. The authors of this paper were all members of Global Animal Welfare and on the implementation team.
Progress was tracked across 68 sites working with rats and/or mice within the company. The sites were located in Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, UK, and the US. Language and cultural differences were considerations for the change management approach. At the time of the initiative (2021–2025), the company had four business units that work with rodents, including: Research Models and Services (RMS) commercial breeding facilities; Discovery and Safety Assessment (DSA) drug research, development, and safety testing facilities; Biologics (BIO) the biologics testing and analytical services; and Insourcing Solutions (IS CRADL) providing management and staffing support and the CRADL contract vivarium laboratories. Each business unit differed in their goals, priorities, and work strategy with the animals, each requiring their own considerations for implementing refined handling.
Change management approach
Two change management models were used to implement refined handling, the ADKAR model and the Results Pyramid. The ADKAR model is a five-step model that includes Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement (Hiatt Reference Hiatt2006), and was the main outline for the change management approach used. The Results Pyramid is a model on changing human behaviours through considerations for experiences, beliefs, and actions (Connors & Smith Reference Connors and Smith2022). The Results Pyramid was used in conjunction with the ADKAR steps to ensure sufficient consideration and support for employees (Figure 1).
The full approach, timeline, and related model steps are outlined in Table 1.
A summary of actions taken, and when, to follow the ADKAR and Results Pyramid models of change management
Table 1. Long description
The table describes what action was taken, the month and year it was implemented, and which step of ADKAR and the Results Pyramid that the action corresponds with. An example is Action: Develop digital badges to reward sites who have switched, Date: Jan-23, ADKAR: Reinforcement, Results Pyramid: Results.
* CALAS/ACSAL: Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science/Association Canadienne pour la Science des Animaux de Laboratoire.
Step 1: Awareness of the need for change
The first action was to create awareness of the need for change. Within the implementation team, this involved developing project goals, a project plan, objectives, and communication strategies, including bi-weekly meetings throughout the process (2021–2025) to discuss progress. Next, was raising awareness within the organisation to the various groups across countries and business units. This step required clear communication with all stakeholders that outlined why the change was important, what would be required, who would be responsible for implementing the change, and the proposed timeframe for implementation, which was to have all sites transitioned to refined handling by the end of 2024. The implementation team is a remote-working team, and therefore all communications were carried out virtually unless otherwise stated.
Multiple strategies were used to create awareness within the first year of the initiative. The primary strategy was targeted training and discussions for different employee groups, including senior leaders, managers, supervisors, veterinary staff, animal ethics oversight bodies (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Animal Welfare Body, Animal Ethics Committee, Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body), animal behaviour staff, technical trainers, researchers and investigators, and administration. Obtaining buy-in from these groups was essential for a successful transition to refined handling. Communicating with these groups helped to identify local champions who would be instrumental to the process. Additionally, it allowed the opportunity for initial feedback based on the unique experiences of these groups. It also provided greater knowledge of the anticipated challenges and concerns that would need to be addressed in our approach and training. Articles were published within the corporate animal welfare quarterly newsletters, presentations were given, and discussions were held in various global groups within the company, including rodent behavioural management, the animal welfare network, and the trainers network. There was also a global workshop for the animal welfare network and animal ethics committees that highlighted refined handling. This workshop targeted the three main geographic regions (North America, Europe, China) working with rodents.
Experiences are crucial to implementing lasting change. It was important to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ the benefits of refined handling. Therefore, a company-wide webinar was organised, in which the pioneer of refined mouse handling, Dr Jane Hurst, presented the data from her laboratory, shared experiences, and addressed frequently asked questions (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2013, Reference Gouveia and Hurst2017, Reference Gouveia and Hurst2019). There were also some locations within the company that had been using refined handling before the start of this initiative. Personnel at those sites were asked to share their experiences with others through the previously mentioned strategies.
Each audience had different needs and business drivers that influenced their support of refined handling. Tailoring the message, research findings, and goals to their needs and business priorities increased support and created a collaborative effort. For example, when presenting to RMS, the focus was on improved breeding outcomes, as these data were most valuable to that business unit. When communicating with DSA, the materials focused on the behavioural and physiological benefits, improvements to human-animal relationships with fewer bite injuries, and reduced data variability, based on the priorities of that business unit.
Step 2: Desire to make the change
The first action to assess the desire and beliefs around implementing refined handling was to conduct a benchmarking survey to quantify current handling methods, assess attitudes towards refined handling, understand perceived challenges that would be experienced, and identify needed resources to support individuals through the transition. The survey details and outcomes will be presented fully in O’Malley et al. (Reference O’Malley, Paterson, Kylie, Thurston, Tambadou, Ekundayo, Puoliväli, Collymore and Turner2026, in press). Briefly, the survey was conducted in March 2022. The data were analysed globally, as a whole, and by business unit. Globally, tail handling was the primary method of mouse handling with 81% of sites primarily tail handling mice. Body handling was the primary method of handling for rats. However, 79% of sites used tail handling with certain groups, and it was shown to be common for young adult rats and fractious older rats. The main challenge expressed in the survey was that refined handling would take too much time (71%). The top selected resources participants wanted to support refined handling efforts were in-person training (60%) and on-demand training (32%).
The survey results helped in developing a strategy to encourage positive beliefs about refined handling and increase the desire to switch away from tail handling. At this stage, the biggest hurdle was addressing misconceptions. When personnel have strong misconceptions about refined handling (i.e. “it will take more time”), it can cause reluctance to support the initiative. Continuing to address these misconceptions with evidence, patience, and demonstrations helped to increase the desire to change practices and the belief that refined handling was better for animal welfare. On-demand training was developed to directly address misconceptions using data from peer-reviewed publications and sharing experiences from internal and external sources that used refined handling. The training acknowledged the concerns by validating some of the challenges while using data to show that the challenges can be overcome with proper training and utilising proper technique. For example, providing internal evidence that work speed did slow down when refined handling was implemented, but returned to normal as personnel became more experienced with the techniques (Sword & Jen Reference Sword and Jen2025). This was further reflected in a survey from 2025 of this initiative, where only 32% of responses indicated what work speed worsened with refined handling, while 42% were neutral and 27% said work speed was better (O’Malley et al. Reference O’Malley, Paterson, Kylie, Thurston, Tambadou, Ekundayo, Puoliväli, Collymore and Turner2026; in press). Incorporating feedback from employees throughout an organisation change can help build collaboration and ownership that helps change actions and achieve results.
This step of developing a desire to change is where the Results Pyramid is a crucial element of change management. Recognising that change is hard and having a plan in place to address and support the emotional well-being of individuals during an organisational change can help drive everyone forward and encourage a positive response and desire to change. This takes clear and frequent communication, acknowledgement of feelings and concerns, providing short- and long-term support, and recognition of individual differences in experiences and beliefs (Chavan & Bhattacharya Reference Chavan and Bhattacharya2022).
Step 3: Knowledge on how to change
To increase knowledge on how to use refined handling techniques, multiple training initiatives were used. On-demand educational materials were developed that focused on best practices and visual aids, such as pictures and videos. These were provided for personnel at all levels who handle mice and rats or oversee animal handling. This training provided information on ‘why’ refined handling is the best method for mice (knowledge) and ‘how’ to successfully use this technique (action), while also addressing frequently asked questions or frequently observed incorrect techniques (e.g. chasing the mice with the tunnel, placing the tunnel in the centre of the cage, approaching mice from above when cup handling, etc). In addition to the on-demand training, digital signage was sent to each site for display (Figure 2). Translation software (Smartcat® and DeepL®) and local reviewers were used to translate the training materials into nine languages to make the materials as inclusive as possible to the global employees (Figure 3).
Example of digital signage displayed by all company sites (n = 68) with mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus) during the transition to refined handling. New versions of digital signage were sent regularly to company sites for display in staff areas. This example was created to show examples of refined versus non-refined handling methods.
Figure 2 Long description
Digital signage encouraging personnel to “Make the switch to mouse low stress handling!” Photograph images of mouse handling show mice being picked up with body handling and tunnel, hut, or other container handling as ’thumbs up’. Images of mice being picked up with tail handling, scruff handling, and ’pinch and flip’ method are shown as ’X’. The bottom states that removing mice from their home cage by the tail, scruff, or the ’pinch and flip’ method is not low stress handling.
Digital signage on display at the company site locations (n = 68) with mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus) was translated into nine languages. This example shows digital signage translated into Spanish demonstrating the benefits of refined handling on mouse breeding outcomes.
An additional initiative was to host a refined handling virtual workshop. The goals of the workshop were to increase knowledge and understanding of refined handling, demonstrate examples of how refined handling had been integrated into site protocols and culture, outline successful planning and implementation initiatives, encourage support and collaboration across the organisation, and provide helpful tips and resources for implementing refined handling. The workshop had presentations about refined handling efforts from each business unit and 178 participants attended from across various countries and business units.
Step 4: Ability to change
The next step is focused on increasing people’s ability, comfort level, and confidence as they transitioned to refined handling. This is essential for embedding the change into site culture and making lasting change (action). There are multiple ways to increase people’s ability to perform the task while supporting a work environment conducive to change:
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• Provide hands-on training;
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• Curate multi-media resources for ready access;
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• Pilot studies to assess effects of change on operations;
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• Remove barriers to learning refined handling while providing timely and constructive feedback on how to perform the task successfully;
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• Create a safe space for failure;
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• Organise in-person training initiatives that allow for practice with different strains and using a variety of in-cage resources and hand cupping methods (consider the impact on animal welfare when providing this training, i.e. cumulative welfare impact of repeat handling sessions, biosecurity, number of animals used in the training, number of cages needed, can the animals be returned to the vivarium or will they need to be euthanased, etc).
During the fourth step, the goal was to continue to support sites during implementation and ensure they had the resources they needed to be successful. A refined handling resource page was developed to allow for easy access to training, pictures, and videos. Refined handling was also a regular topic of conversation during site visits by the implementation team, to observe technique and provide feedback. Throughout the Ability step, site-level champions were a key component to ensuring proper refined handling technique, continued momentum towards implementation, and to communicate to the implementation team about challenges, needs, and successes. Site-level champions also took ownership of the initiative and led pilot studies to better understand the effects of refined handling on site-level procedures and operations, then used the data to develop an implementation plan. Information was shared between sites to support global efforts and address unique challenges for each region and business unit.
Through discussions with personnel, an identified challenge or barrier to implementing refined handling was the ingrained muscle memory of experienced personnel, where learning the new technique was difficult for them and did affect their job flow and work speed. In these situations, there was frustration around the use of refined handling, which negatively affected personnel desire and beliefs towards refined handling. To address these challenges, a flexible approach was proposed to the sites. It was suggested to introduce exclusive use of refined handling at onboarding for new employees, but to adopt a slower, more supportive approach for more seasoned personnel. Using this approach, sites offered regular hands-on training sessions for seasoned personnel to allow them to practise refined handling, but without pressuring or penalising them for not transitioning to refined handling immediately.
Step 5: Reinforce progress to sustain the change
The final step in successful change management is reinforcement of the change and recognising the positive results of the effort. This step was the culmination of the organisation’s efforts to meet the metrics set for successful change in processes and technique. This allowed business units and individual teams to assess their current state, develop plans to reduce recidivism, and recognise all those involved in the change.
To reinforce refined handling efforts, two additional surveys were conducted by the implementation team to monitor progress, challenges, required resources, and reflections throughout the course of this project. The second survey was conducted in July 2023, and the final survey was conducted in June 2025. Results from these surveys helped to reinforce the change and provide further momentum for refined handling. Ease of working with animals (2023: 60%; 2025: 64%) and relationship with animals (2023: 67%; 2025: 71%) improved after implementing refined handling with mice and rats, respectively. Full survey results will be provided in O’Malley et al. (Reference O’Malley, Paterson, Kylie, Thurston, Tambadou, Ekundayo, Puoliväli, Collymore and Turner2026; in press).
A component of this stage is actively embedding the language and activities related to refined handling into the culture. Operationally, this included updating standard operating procedures, updating site-level training programmes to state that refined handling is the primary method for removing mice and rats from their home cages, and monitoring site-level implementation. As employees became familiar with and more comfortable with refined handling, engagement opportunities were provided that encouraged creativity and participation. For example, recognising creative uses of in-cage resources to move animals (Figure 4) or the use of digital games (Figure 5) to reinforce terminology and expectations. Some ways in which these were incorporated included digital crossword puzzles and Wordle games featuring refined handling terms, and holiday-themed and BRAD (Biomedical Research Awareness Day) games featuring refined handling (Figure 6). These activities can help bridge the gap between the psychological need to move through the change cycle and the proactive actions needed for implementation of refined handling across the organisation (Albrecht et al. Reference Albrecht, Furlong and Leiter2023). This was also incorporated with digital signage across sites that was updated on a regular basis, a quarterly newsletter article and blog posts. Refined handling was also discussed during in-person site visits conducted by Global Animal Welfare, virtual rodent behaviour meetings and 3Rs workshops facilitated by Global Animal Welfare, and various other internal meetings and workshops to ensure that the topic was kept front of mind.
A mouse (Mus musculus) being removed from the home cage using a running wheel. Creative use of in-cage resources to remove rodents from the home cage without the tail can include items such as shacks, huts, shelters, or even running wheels. These are all low stress handling methods as the mouse is not lifted by the tail (Sandgren et al. Reference Sandgren, Grims, Waters and Hurst2021; Bodnar et al. Reference Bodnar, Makowska, Schuppli and Weary2025).
A trivia style game encouraged interest in learning about refined handling and showed people where to find more resources on the topic. Various digital games were created to increase knowledge and engagement about refined handling. This example was sent out to the entire company with translated versions for different languages.
Figure 5 Long description
The first slide is a question asking about low stress handling methods and the second slide shows the correct answer as well as an infographic on mouse tail handling versus low stress handling.
This ‘Myth vs Fact’ refined handling game allowed participants to test their knowledge on frequently asked questions regarding refined handling. This multimedia game featured images and video clips as well as scientific references to support the facts of refined handling.
Figure 6 Long description
The first slide asks a question about low stress handling. The second slide shows the correct answer as well as a short video example demonstrating the correct answer.
Clear criteria were set for sites to be considered fully transitioned to refined handling (Table 2). Throughout the entire change management process, progress measures were tracked to allow for recognition of positive improvement on a site-by-site basis. Progress measures included site communications (observations and conversations) and survey feedback (individual site surveys and global feedback surveys). Sites developed multiple tools to assess their progress, and these were shared during global calls. As sites met the criteria for being officially transitioned to refined handling, they would notify the implementation team. Recognition included a physical pin for any individual who was involved with the planning, roll-out, training, and implementation of refined handling and personalised digital badging for everyone at the site that could be added to their email signature (Figure 7). There was also a progress tracker on the internal refined handling resource page that visually displayed the percentage of sites transitioned to refined handling (Figure 8). Progress was regularly shared during meetings with various audiences, including senior leadership, and in the quarterly animal welfare newsletters to encourage discussion and maintain momentum towards 100% of sites transitioned. This public positive reinforcement can act as constructive peer pressure to other sites that were resistant to making the change to refined handling to help them overcome roadblocks.
Criteria to determine if a company site (n = 68) was transitioned to low stress handling
Table 2. Long description
Step 1 in green describes how to conduct in-room assessments, Step 2 in grey describes how to conduct population specific assessments, and Step 3 in blue describes how to conduct training and operation assessments. The bottom in dark grey states that “If >85% of all rooms, all study types, and all departments or sectors working with mice and rats of all ages are utilizing low stress handling, the site is officially transitioned to low stress handling.”
Recognition items were distributed to company sites (n = 68) that implemented refined handling in acknowledgement of their accomplishment. Figure 7A shows the small, physical pin that each employee involved in the implementation of refined handling received. Figure 7B shows the digital badging which was personalised with individual site names and sent to each site when refined handling was implemented to be added to email signatures.
Figure 7 Long description
The first image of the stuffed rat is wearing a blue Charles River outfit with a round gold pin that has the low stress handling logo which is the image in the second image. The second image is the icon of the low stress handling logo which is a green image on a white background. Underneath the logo it has the words “Our site uses Low Stress Handling with mice and rats”
The progress tracker that was displayed on the company’s internal website. The internal refined handling resource page displayed a progress tracker showing what percentage of company sites had made the transition to refined handling. This was kept updated and could be viewed by anyone in the company.
Figure 8 Long description
Top of image is black text on a green background “CRL GOAL! All sites achieving uptake of low stress handling of mice and rats. Updated May 2025. Bottom of image black text on gray background ”63 of 68 (93%) sites have achieved >85% implementation of LSH techniques for mice & rats!"
Once sites made the transition to refined handling, it was recommended that they submit nominations for an internal award for further recognition. Recognising people’s efforts and adoption of refined handling is one way to acknowledge the hard work personnel carry out every day and this can support resilience and compassion satisfaction (Murray et al. Reference Murray, Bauer, Vilminot and Turner2020). It is vital to recognise refined handling site champions and reward those who supported and moved the change forward. While organisational change management is a full team effort from every level, there will be those who are leading, and they deserve to be recognised for their hard work.
Discussion
The goal of the initiative was to transition all sites of a global contract research organisation to using refined handling methods rather than lifting rodents by the tail. By implementing organisational change management efforts, the company reached 100% refined handling by the end of 2025 with every rodent site having implemented refined handling for mice and rats across all sexes, strains, ages, study types, and departments. The survey results show that this has resulted in a decrease in reported bites, an increase in positive feelings about refined handling, and improved relationships and ease of working with the animals (O’Malley et al. Reference O’Malley, Paterson, Kylie, Thurston, Tambadou, Ekundayo, Puoliväli, Collymore and Turner2026; in press). Internal pilot studies also showed that refined handling did not result in significant increases in errors made (e.g. overlooking clinical observations, mis-sexing or incorrectly counting pups). Importantly, there was also no significant increase in time to complete tasks once the employees were trained and competent in the refined handling methods, which took approximately four to six weeks. This was measured with 30 technicians at five facilities over a course of eight weeks while performing routine husbandry tasks (Sword & Jen Reference Sword and Jen2025). This is consistent with anecdotal reports as well.
A key step in implementing organisational change is incorporating flexibility into the approach. When first attempting to switch to refined handling, there were 68 unique sites in more than ten countries, representing four different business units. The same approach could not be taken with each site or business unit and the personnel at each site were in the best position to determine what approach would be most successful based on individual site culture and resources. The main role of the implementation team was to provide training materials and support while encouraging flexibility and individualised approaches to refined handling. The criteria of setting an 85% threshold of mice and rats being handled with refined handling rather than 100% was to allow for flexibility, especially during the initial transition phases. This allowed the organisation to be successful overall and encouraged creativity, empowerment, and ownership from site-level champions. A threshold of 85% also allowed for early reinforcement to recognise site-level successes, maintaining positive momentum, desire, and beliefs for refined handling. For the populations of rodents for which tail handling was still used, sites were asked to evaluate how they could address those challenges and take actions towards using refined handling for those populations. One challenging population included older, fractious rats, where bite gloves, tunnels, and habituation plans were promoted as solutions to move away from tail handling. Training materials were provided for this specific group of animals by site-level champions who were highly experienced with this population. Receiving new animals into a facility was another situation identified for which tail handling was common. To address this issue, the North American RMS facilities began to ship rodents with tunnels in the shipping containers to encourage tunnel handling at receipt. This positively impacted internal and external sites. Specific training materials were also created on how to use tunnel and cup handling when receiving animals to help with this transition.
Flexibility was also built into the techniques used for refined handling. As long as the mice were not lifted by any part of the tail or scruff when removed from the home enclosure, and the animals were not showing increased signs of stress (i.e. vocalisations, urination, defaecation), the method was acceptable. Variations on traditional tunnel or cup handling included using in-cage furniture that was already available such as running wheels, huts, or shelters. This was later validated by a study in which the results showed that handling with a hut is a valid method of refined handling in mice, particularly in facilities that already use huts as an in-cage resource (Bodnar et al. Reference Bodnar, Makowska, Schuppli and Weary2025). Some sites found that they preferred to use a slotted scoop to gently lift the mice (Figure 9 ), while others developed innovative methods of tipping a dirty cage towards a clean cage and gently guiding the mice into the clean cage rather than picking them up. Flexibility in method of refined handling also allowed people to adjust based on what worked best for them and was based on a positive animal response.
A wire scoop used to gently lift mice from their home enclosure. Some company sites (n = 68) preferred to gently guide the mice (Mus musculus) or rats (Rattus norvegicus) into slotted plastic or wire scoops to remove them from the home enclosure without lifting them by the tail.
Even with well-defined organisational change management strategies, there still may be resistance and discomfort as people move through a change cycle (Salerno & Brock Reference Salerno and Brock2008). This is often rooted in uncertainty and anxiety of how a significant change like switching to refined handling will impact an individual in their daily tasks and the organisation as a whole. It is helpful to take the time to speak with people on an individual basis to elucidate their specific concerns. People often have misconceptions about refined handling (Young et al. Reference Young, Goldsteen, Nunamaker, Prescott, Reynolds, Thompson-Iritani, Thurston, Martin and LaFollette2023) that will make it hard for them to adopt the techniques. Addressing these misconceptions, such as concerns about time, bites, difficulty, and biosecurity, will ultimately make it easier for the uptake of refined handling. There were also misconceptions that the techniques used to restrain or work with the rodents would counteract the refined handling technique used to lift them out of the cage. This was directly addressed in the training materials as well, clarifying that refined handling referred only to the method used to pick up mice from their home cage and that once they are removed from the cage, they can be scruffed or tail handled if necessary for research procedures without losing the benefits to the animal’s welfare (Hurst & West Reference Hurst and West2010; Gouveia & Hurst Reference Gouveia and Hurst2019; Henderson et al. Reference Henderson, Smulders and Roughan2020).
One’s ability to carry out a task relies on their knowledge of the procedure; to build their skills and retrain their muscle memory, they need the ability to practise in a safe space where they can make mistakes and learn from these mistakes. Having hands-on training sessions to address different real-life scenarios of handling rodents is crucial, considering different refined handling techniques, animal sizes, temperaments, working in different cage types, and within a hood, or an isolator. Continued coaching from trainers, supervisors, and co-workers reinforces the technique and begins the process of retraining muscle memory which helps employees put the change into action.
Once the organisational change has been completed, the work must still continue to sustain long-term change and avoid recidivism. Verbally praising employees for refined handling techniques when observed, encouraging sharing of techniques between employees to support long-term change and proper technique, or providing other recognition, rewards, or incentives to keep employees engaged and committed to this organisational change. Recidivism may occur due to discomfort with or improper application of techniques, due to lack of resources (i.e. tunnels) or time (i.e. facility is understaffed, period of high workload). To prevent recidivism, inappropriate tail handling should be addressed with the employee(s) when observed, and they should be provided with further training on refined handling techniques. Recidivism should be approached with support, understanding, and reinforcement of preferred techniques with training.
Animal welfare implications
Applying evidence-based refinements within animal facilities can be a challenge due to employee attitudes and practicalities of training employees to use techniques correctly and consistently. Utilising change management practices allowed successful, wide-scale implementation of refined handling practices with mice and rats within a global contract research organisation. Refined handling improves overall animal welfare through reduced anxiety, depressive-like behaviours, fear, and stress. Other animal organisations can use this framework to identify and implement their own changes aimed at improving animal welfare.
Conclusion
Using organisational change management methods successfully allowed a global contract research organisation to transition from lifting mice and rats by the tail to using refined handling techniques that have been shown to be beneficial for animal welfare, personnel well-being, and scientific integrity. By combining two different change management strategies, ADKAR and the Results Pyramid, a step-by-step process was outlined to help both individuals and the organisation through this large transition. Handling methods continue to be monitored, and recidivism is addressed to ensure long-term, sustainable change towards refined handling. Using change management to meet animal welfare goals such as switching to refined handling is an organised, efficient, and practical method that can benefit many organisations.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Mackenzie Portman for the featured engagement games as well as Charles River sites in Canada and China for sharing their images. We would also like to thank Brooke Sword and Kimberly Jen for the internal pilot study data showing that implementing refined handling would not significantly impact operations. Lastly, we acknowledge and thank everyone working at Charles River who contributed to making the switch from tail to refined handling.
Competing interests
None.
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