Raad van Europa
De Raad van Europa (RvE) werd opgericht om de idealen van individuele vrijheid, de rechtsstaat en de democratische beginselen in het grotere eenheid, te onderhouden en ontwikkelen. De Raad van Europa is een intergouvernementele adviserende organisatie met een ledenaantal van 47 landen, representatief voor ongeveer 800 miljoen mensen.
In 1986 heeft de Raad van Europa een europees verdrag voor de bescherming van gewervelde proefdieren uitgegeven: “European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (ETS 123, 1986)".
Sinds 15 juli 2007 is de appendix vervangen door de gereviseerde Appendix A en kunnen de Huisvestingsrichtlijnen van de Raad van Europa in deze appendix worden gevonden.
Onderstaand een deel (niet beschikbaar in het Nederlands) uit de richtlijnen met betrekking tot humane eindpunten.
European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes
Article 5
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3. The well being and state of health of animals shall be observed sufficiently closely and frequently to prevent pain or avoidable suffering, distress or lasting harm.
4. Each Party shall determine arrangements to ensure that any defect or suffering discovered is corrected as quickly as possible.
Article 7
When a procedure has to be performed, the choice of species shall be carefully considered and, where required, be explained to the responsible authority; in a choice between procedures, those should be selected which use the minimum number of animals, cause the least pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm and which are most likely to provide satisfactory results.
Article 9
1. Where it is planned to subject an animal to a procedure in which it will or may experience severe pain which is likely to endure, that procedure must be specifically declared and justified to, or specifically authorised by, the responsible authority.
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Article 11
1. At the end of the procedure it shall be decided whether the animal shall be kept alive or killed by a humane method. An animal shall not be kept alive if, even though it has been restored to normal health in all other respects, it is likely to remain in lasting pain or distress.
2. The decision referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall be taken by a competent person, in particular a veterinarian, or the person who, in accordance with Article 13, is responsible for, or has performed, the procedure.
3. Where, at the end of the procedure:
a) an animal is to be kept alive, it shall receive the care appropriate to its state of health, be placed under the supervision of a veterinarian or other competent person and kept under condi¬tions conforming to the requirements of Article 5. The conditions laid down in this sub paragraph may, however, be waived where, in the opinion of a veterinarian, the animal would not suffer as a consequence of such exemption;
b) an animal is not to be kept alive or cannot benefit from the provisions of Article 5 for its well being, it shall be killed by a humane method as soon as possible.
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