Elanco Animal Health

Our animals play a crucial role in developing safe and effective animal health products which are used by veterinarians, farmers, and pet owners worldwide to benefit and protect the health of farm animals and pets.

Elanco supports and aligns with the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) objective to achieve “a world where the welfare of animals is respected, promoted and advanced in ways that complement the pursuit of animal health, human well-being, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability.”

While scientific advancements continue to reduce the need for animals in research, the legal requirements to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of animal health products still require their use.  Therefore, Elanco ensures that every animal used for research purposes is scientifically justified and ethically approved by a dedicated ethical committee, which includes a public representative. This ensures we uphold our ethical obligations to research animals as we develop innovative animal health solutions to benefit and protect the health of pets and livestock.

Elanco is honored to be an inaugural signatory to the US Animal Research Openness Agreement (USARO), a pledge which demonstrates our dedication to greater transparency in the use of animals in research.

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Our Pledge to Openness

We strive to build greater awareness and understanding of the critical role research animals

play in animal health. Elanco is one of the inaugural signatories to The Openness Agreement on Animal Research and Teaching in Australia demonstrating our global commitment.

We believe the public expects greater transparency from research organizations. By joining as a signatory of the U.S. Animal Research Openness Initiative (USARO) we aim to help the public better understand the contributions that research animals make to improving the lives of millions of animals globally.

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Our Commitment to Animal Welfare

While advancements in scientific methods have reduced the need for animal research, some work requiring the use of animals in research remains necessary. That’s why we begin by applying the 3Rs, regarded globally as the best and most reliable approach to ensure sound science is conducted with care and respect for our animals.

Our commitment to the 3Rs:

·                     Replacement: We use non-animal methods whenever possible. Rodents are used to replace cats and dogs when possible.  However, we are required to demonstrate safety and efficacy in the species of use, ensuring our products are well tolerated and will perform in your pets and livestock.

·                     Reduction: We minimize the number of animals by enrolling only as many as needed for reliable results. Biostatisticians help us determine the smallest number of animals necessary to reach a valid conclusion,

·                     Refinements:   We incorporate methods to reduce or eliminate pain and distress in our studies, as well as improve our animals’ care and housing.

For instance, our animal care staff created a simple but effective housing with a double-decker design by simulating an underground level that allows gerbils to express their natural behavior for tunneling and digging. They utilize both levels and love to move their bedding around to make it “just right”.

Another example of refinement is our “Willing Workers” program which uses cooperative care techniques and positive reinforcement, to reward animals.

Cats are also easily trained to voluntarily approach a treatment table, jump up and allow for care without restraint or stress. This simulates similar veterinary clinic initiatives, such as Fear Free^TM handling.

Elanco recognizes these exceptional advancements through our internal awards program, which highlights these innovations as well as provides an opportunity to share them with our broader research community.

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Elanco’s Culture of Care

Elanco goes beyond science and the 3Rs by embracing a culture of care, where we have woven welfare into every aspect of Elanco’s animal care and use program.

Our employees are passionate about our animals. They apply the five domains of animal welfare - Nutrition, Environment, Health, Behavior and Mental State. This means optimizing complex housing, social grouping animals, providing enrichment and ensuring human-animal bonding time that optimizes their behavioral rapporteur. 

We have a dedicated Global Animal Welfare Team of experts. Their mission is to champion industry best practices, provide 24/7 veterinary care to our animals and conduct regular animal welfare assessments of contract research organizations (CROs) to ensure alignment with our high standards of animal welfare.

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What does life look like after our research?

Elanco's programs are designed to achieve rehoming success, supported by robust rehoming pathways that prioritize the well-being and happiness of each animal in our care.

Our dedicated animal care technicians and veterinarians play a pivotal role in this endeavor. They invest a significant amount of time nurturing and caring to ensure they transition smoothly into their new lives. Their efforts are rewarded and fulfilled by the joy of seeing our retirees living with loving families.

The loving behavior of these dogs and cats is a true testament to the care they receive from our team- like Reggie, Noodles, Banks and Boa!

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The Real-World Impact of Animal Research

Some of the recipient survivors of CPMA with parvovirus.

Our Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody (CPMA) is helping puppies survive, feel better, faster from this devastating disease – a breakthrough made possible through the contributions of our research animals. Parvovirus in puppies results in a staggering 91% mortality rate without supportive care. The data collected over the first year of CPMA availability shows a dramatic improvement in survival rates for puppies battling the deadly virus, along with a decrease in the intensive care efforts required.

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