Animal Aid

• 17% increase in the number of dogs killed in experiments
• 18% increase in the number of Old World monkeys
• 8% increase in total number of monkeys
• 8% increase in procedures using genetically modified animals (a 1207% increase since 1990)
• 27% increase in acute lethal toxicity experiments

Norman Baker MP said: "The Government should be ashamed that in the 21st century we are still using primitive methods to test ingredients." Indeed, not only is animal testing intolerably cruel - it is also scientifically worthless. Animal experiments have never been validated and if they were to be rigorously assessed for validity, as non-animal methods are, they would undoubtedly fail.

Animal testing is a double betrayal - both of animals and of people - who are exposed to hazardous chemicals and pharmaceuticals, thanks to the inadequate safety testing that is animal experimentation. More sophisticated methods are available - it is high time the government mandated their use.

SUMMARY OF THE 2001 STATISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES ON LIVING ANIMALS IN GREAT BRITAIN PUBLISHED BY THE HOME OFFICE:

Categories	Numbers	Change since 2000
Total number of procedures on animals	2,622,442	3%
Testing for toxicity, safety or efficacy (17% of all procedures)	455,466	0.1%
Fundamental research (30% of all procedures)	778,651	11%
Procedures using transgenic animals (24% of all procedures)	630,759	8%
Procedures using animals with a harmful genetic defect	246,844	4%
Number of procedures without any anaesthetic (59% of total)	1,551,071	5%
* Total number of individual animals used	2,567,713	3%
Research, development and safety testing of pharmaceuticals	685,896	7%
Toxicity testing of cosmetics (no longer permissible in the UK)	0	SAME
Procedures in education & training	5,773	4%
Procedures on cats	1,580	13%
...in respiratory & cardiovascular research (previously 1)	18	1700%
...in nervous system or special senses research	188	36%
...in toxicity tests	12	94%
* Number of individual cats	731	19%
Procedures on primates	3,986	8%
(incl. macaques: 2,597; marmosets & tamarins: 1,339; other monkeys: 50)
...in toxicity tests	2,466	4%
...in nervous or special senses research	789	53%
...in respiratory or cardiovascular research	420	87%
* Number of individual primates	3,342	13%
Procedures on dogs (beagles: 6,872; crossbreds: 760)	7,945	4%
...in respiratory & cardiovascular research	1,317	1%
...in toxicity tests	5,332	35%
* Number of individual dogs	5,554	17%
Procedures on mice (63% of total)	1,657,657	3%
Procedures on amphibians	15,850	2%
Procedures on rabbits	33,741	15%
Procedures on horse, donkey or crossbred	8,805	5%
Procedures on birds	126,858	2%
Procedures on fish	171,092	30%
Tobacco research	48	21%
Alcohol research	3,081	SAME
Toxicity tests of food additives and other foodstuffs	3,470	42%
Toxicity tests of household products	590	52%
Toxicity tests of industrial substances	52,685	2%
Toxicity tests of agricultural chemicals (incl. 120 beagles)	40,998	16%
Toxicity tests for environmental pollution	38,245	9%
Lethal short-term toxicity tests	122,286	27%
Toxicity procedures required by legislation, British & overseas	389,779	2%
Cancer research	268,757	4%
(includes 106,594 genetically modified animals; 68,027 animals with genetic defect)
Tests for cancer-causing chemicals	9,157	19%
# Interference with organs of sight, hearing, smell or taste	16,478	5%
# Injection into brain	25,043	7%
# Interference with the brain	31,041	20%
# Procedures deliberately causing psychological stress	10,282	1%
# Procedures involving aversive training	10,920	72%
# Exposure to radiation	7,225	40%
# Thermal injury	363	274%
# Physical injury to mimic human injury	6,496	17%
Eye irritancy tests	1,457	26%
Tests for fever-causing potential (pyrogenicity)	11,749	12%
Psychology research	37,873	65%
Production of monoclonal antibodies	6,018	2%
Number of licensed research projects	4,123	3%
Number of Home Office Inspectors	21	SAME

*The difference between numbers of procedures and numbers of animals is due to some animals being used in more than one procedure.
# The Home Office has listed these procedures as being of particular interest.

With thanks to the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research for compiling the table.

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