The aim of this targeted research call is to evaluate gases or gas mixtures in comparison to carbon dioxide (CO2) which might induce euthanasia in mice and rats more humanely.
First, assessment methods for the evaluation of parameters potentially suitable for indicating signs of distress like air hunger, anxiety, fear and pain have to be established in ambient air. The acquired parameters then have to be evaluated for their suitability to detect the before mentioned signs of distress, unconsciousness and loss of electrical cortical brain activity by exposing animals to CO2 while using the established assessment methods. Thereafter, gases or gas mixtures potentially inducing unconsciousness more humanely than CO2 have to be evaluated in comparison to CO2 by applying the established assessment methods. The overall goal of this study is to demonstrate reduced (or even lack of) aversion and/or distress to a gas or a gas mixture before loss of consciousness.