Macquarie University releases plans to build $40.7m animal testing centre for mice, rats, zebrafish

Animal justice advocates have hit out at plans to build a $40.7m animal testing facility, which a Sydney university says will boost its research endeavours.

A concept image of the university’s new $40.7m animal research facility.

A Sydney university has revealed plans to spend more than $40m building an expanded animal research facility, sparking a swift and angry reaction from animal justice advocates.

Macquarie University says new facilities planned at the northern Sydney campus will support advancements in biomedical research across the fields of neurosurgery, degenerative diseases, glaucoma and cancer.

The $40.7m proposal would involve rebuilding current testing facilities into a three-storey complex with an expanded capacity for 2800 mice and rats and 20,000 zebrafish.

The development would replace current animal testing facilities, which the university says have “reached capacity” and are no longer equipped to support growth in the university’s research endeavours.

The development would have facilities including “rat holding” areas, a feed and breeding room, quarantine zones, mice laboratories, injecting rooms, and fish holding tanks.

The facility is planned at the university’s Macquarie Park campus.

Separate animal holding rooms would be built for each species in a move the university says would reduce the potential for disease outbreaks.

The proposal has been met with backlash from the NSW Animal Justice Party, which has advocated for animals to be phased out of use for medical research in NSW.

The plans are being considered by the Department of Planning.

NSW Animal Justice Upper House MP Emma Hurst believes the proposal is at odds with the findings of a government inquiry into animal research, which led to more than $4m in funding to finding alternatives.

“The idea that the universe is expanding the use of animal testing in 2025 shows they’re out of touch and going backwards in the use of animals for experimentation,” Ms Hurst said.

“If we’re going to argue that animals are so like us we can use them for experimentation then there’s ethical questions about that as well.”

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the university said “all animal-based research at Macquarie University is conducted for the advancement of science and medicine in the interest of the health and wellbeing of humans, animals and the environment”.

“Animals are only used in research and teaching at the university where there is no alternative, and only with strong ethical and scientific justification,” she said.

“When animals are used in research and teaching, they are treated with care and respect.

Macquarie University – in its plans for the centre – stated the animal testing facility would also be governed by strict codes for animal research and be subject to regulatory checks by the NSW Government.

Plans for the facility show the testing centre be used by up to 100 academic staff as well as students across the faculties of medicine, health and science and engineering.

The proposal is the latest multimillion-dollar development planned at the university, which also wants to build a new physics, astronomy and engineering hub.