The adoption centre helping lab rats find their forever homes

Corky the rat had not known a life outside a research facility. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) An animal rehoming facility dedicated to rabbits, rats, mice and guinea pigs used in scientific research has opened on the NSW Central Coast. The facility caters to up to 120 animals while they wait for adoption. Founder Paula Wallace hopes the facility will lead to more research animals experiencing a life after the laboratory. Link copiedShareShare articleAfter almost a decade of dedicating her life to rehoming animals previously used in laboratory research, Paula Wallace has turned her vision into a reality. Cradling a guinea pig in her hands, she walks through The Liberty Adoption Centre, at Wyong, on the NSW Central Coast. She described as the moment as a "landmark" for animal welfare in Australia. "They come from a very wide range of research settings … from human and animal disease research, but also product testing … there's over 300 accredited research establishments in New South Wales." Paula Wallace (left) and Nadia Capliss from the Liberty Foundation. (ABC news: Shauna Foley) The centre can hold up to 120 small animals, while they wait for their forever homes. It is a humble building, fitted out with purpose-built enclosures for rats, rabbits, mice and guinea pigs that had previously only ever known life inside a laboratory. The facility can hold more than 100 small animals, including rabbits, rats and guinea pigs. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) "Their experience in those research facilities varies widely because there's a diversity in the way that animals are housed … and the sort of training that's provided to researchers," Ms Wallace said. "So our job is really to understand what the animals need and provide them with support every step of the journey." In NSW, organisations are only required to report on the fate of dogs and cats used in research, so it is unclear how many smaller animals are euthanased. But advocacy group Animals Australia estimates the number to be hundreds of thousands a year. Rory the guinea pig is one of 100 in the facility waiting to find their forever families. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) Ms Wallace first started taking animals into her home in 2017 after connecting with a small number of research facilities. "We really relied on the generosity of ordinary people to open their homes and take in our animals while we were finding them a permanent home," Ms Wallace said. The Liberty Foundation's animal rehoming program relies on donations. The launch of the centre was made possible through a grant from the NSW government, but ongoing funding is yet to be secured. Monika Ryniewicz and Ignacio Larralde took in three foster rats last year and quickly became what they described as "foster failures". "We had them for about three months and just realised that we couldn't think of them moving on to a home that just wasn't ours," Ms Ryniewicz said. "They're just part of the family now, and they know it too, they know their spot on the couch, they know who's going to give them more snacks … they're very smart. Monika Ryniewicz (left) and Ignacio Larralde adopted three rats that were previously used in research. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) The couple knew they wanted to adopt a pet ethically and saw former lab rats as the perfect choice. "I just loved what it represented, a second chance for animals outside of research. I knew that we could offer a safe haven for them," Ms Ryniewicz said. "It just makes such a difference knowing that now for the rest of their lives they're just going to be spoiled with treats, with lots of cuddles, all the best things." It is estimated that millions of animals in Australia are used every year for scientific testing. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) Ms Wallace said the couple's reaction to taking rats in as pets was not unusual. "People often refer to rats as being the dogs of the rodent world because they do have very similar characteristics," she said. Liberty Foundation has helped almost 1,000 small animals previously used in research get adopted. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) Before the rehoming facility opened, Gemma Field fostered three New Zealand White Rabbits that had been involved in human disease research. "When these came, initially they were quite shut down," she said. "I kind of worried about the people who might have worked with them before, in their previous life." Gemma Field (left) and her daughter Attia have been fostering rabbits for many years. (ABC News: Shauna Foley) With time and love, the animals opened up and settled in with the family. "They've helped people with the research and now it's their time to have a break," Ms Field said. Ms Field found people were surprised to learn where the animals had come from. "People aren't aware that there's so many animals used in animal research [in Australia]," she said. "[But] it is our issue and it is something that we should all be aware of." Rehoming research animals in NSW is

The adoption centre helping lab rats find their forever homes

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The adoption centre helping lab rats find their forever homes

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