Perth, June 18: Australia’s first adoption centre dedicated to rehoming small animals formerly used in research has opened on the New South Wales Central Coast, giving rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice a second chance at life as family pets.
Located in Wyong, the Liberty Adoption Centre is operated by Liberty Foundation Australia (LFA), an independent not-for-profit organisation that has been rehoming animals from research facilities since 2017.
The purpose-built facility can accommodate up to 120 animals and has been designed to help them transition from research environments into permanent homes. Features include exercise and enrichment areas for rats, naturalistic enclosures for mice and dedicated socialisation spaces where volunteers can interact with the animals.
LFA Director Paula Wallace described the opening as a major milestone for the welfare of ex-research animals.
“The opening of the Liberty Adoption Centre is a landmark moment for ex-research animals,” she said.
“The NSW Government recognises the need to work together to provide the best outcomes for animals when they retire from research, and has given a helping hand to charities like ours to scale up our operations.”
The centre was made possible through funding from the NSW Government’s Research Animals Rehoming Grant Program. Liberty Foundation Australia received $825,000 over two years to expand its capacity and establish the facility.
According to figures cited by the organisation, NSW research institutions account for millions of instances of animal use each year. While many research projects involve the death of animals, more than 100,000 laboratory mammals were reported to have survived research projects in 2023, creating a growing need for rehoming pathways.
Over the past eight years, Liberty Foundation Australia has found homes for hundreds of former research animals, including dogs and cats, and is on track to celebrate its 1,000th adoption later this year.
Wallace said public interest in adopting former research animals continues to grow.
“There is clearly a benefit for animals in being able to live out the course of their natural lives in the community and know a different way of life,” she said.
The Liberty Adoption Centre is located at 6 Rose Street, Wyong, and is open to the public from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Visitors can meet adoptable animals and learn more about the organisation’s work supporting the rehoming of retired research animals.
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