Wyong centre opens to rehome lab rats, rabbits and guinea pigs

A Wyong adoption centre has opened to give small animals used in scientific research a pathway into permanent homes.

The Liberty Adoption Centre is dedicated to rehoming rats, rabbits, mice and guinea pigs from research facilities, with space for up to 120 animals.

Founder Paula Wallace began taking former research animals into her own home in 2017 after connecting with a small number of research facilities.

She said the new Central Coast facility would allow more animals to move out of research settings and into supported care while permanent homes are found.

The animals can come from a wide range of research environments, including human and animal disease research and product testing.

In NSW, research organisations are only required to report the fate of dogs and cats used in research, leaving the number of smaller animals euthanased unclear. Animals Australia estimates the number is in the hundreds of thousands each year.

The centre was launched with support from a NSW government grant, but the Liberty Foundation's rehoming program relies on donations and ongoing funding has not been secured.

Several Central Coast adopters have already taken in animals from the program, including former lab rats and New Zealand White Rabbits involved in human disease research.

Rehoming research animals in NSW is encouraged where possible, but it is not mandatory.