The estimated cost to replace an animal is usually determined through market surveys. Costs associated with acquiring donated, loaned, or wild animals as replacement animals are eligible provided they do not exceed the estimated cost of purchasing a comparable animal.

For laboratory animals, eligible costs associated with replacement include, but are not limited to, the replacement cost of a laboratory animal that is as genetically close as possible to, but does not exceed, the genetic progression of the lost animal AND can be reasonably procured commercially.