Adoption centre helps lab rats find forever homes

Paula Wallace has dedicated nearly a decade to rehoming animals used in laboratory research, culminating in the establishment of The Liberty Adoption Centre on the NSW Central Coast. This pioneering facility is the first of its kind in Australia, exclusively offering rehoming services for small animals from research settings, which can range from human and animal disease research to product testing.

The center, located at Wyong, can accommodate up to 120 animals, including rats, rabbits, mice, and guinea pigs. These animals, previously accustomed to laboratory environments, are now housed in purpose-built enclosures. Wallace explained that the animals' experiences in research facilities vary, and the center's role is to understand and meet their individual needs throughout their journey to a new home.

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This is the first facility of its kind that is offering rehoming services purely for small animals from research facilities.

While NSW organizations are only required to report on the fate of dogs and cats used in research, advocacy groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of smaller animals are euthanized annually. Wallace began rehoming animals from research facilities into her home in 2017, relying on the generosity of individuals. The new center allows them to expand their capacity and offer more animals a chance at adoption.

Monika Ryniewicz and Ignacio Larralde, who fostered three rats and became "foster failures," described their pets as "little mini pocket dogs" that bring adventure into their lives. The Liberty Foundation's program is supported by donations and a grant from the NSW government, but securing ongoing funding remains a challenge.

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They're like little mini pocket dogs that just make everything … a little adventure.