Newly published figures reveal shameful face of ‘science’ in Great Britain

These figures, published for the first time, show that, in 2017, a total of 5.53 million animals were ‘used in science in Great Britain’. Once again, a huge proportion of these animals were mice, who, despite their small size, are very complex and sensitive animals. They are as deserving of our consideration and compassion as larger animals.

The new figures also explain that, in the second half of 2017, more than 700,000 animals had tissue samples taken to investigate their genetic make-up. The terrible ways in which this may be done include making holes in mice’s ears, cutting off the ends of their tails and even removing the end of ‘very young animals’’ toes.

Says Animal Aid’s Campaign Manager, Jessamy Korotoga:

‘These figures are truly shocking. The fact that more than 5 million animals were used and abused in the name of “science” in British laboratories last year is shameful. We have the annual statistics each year, which are terrible enough, outlining the use in procedures of 3.7 million animals, and now we know that a further 1.8 million animals have been bred and killed.

‘With statistics like these, it is incumbent upon animal researchers, companies and charities funding animal experiments to turn away from outdated and unreliable animal experiments and, instead, turn their attention and money to humane non-animal methods’.

Notes to editors:

• Additional statistics on breeding and genotyping of animals for scientific procedures, Great Britain 2017
• Annual statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2017
• Animal Aid’s statement on the ‘annual stats’

* These animals were not included in the earlier ‘annual statistics’ because they were not genetically altered or used in an experiment. Some animals in the ‘annual statistics’ were used to create genetically altered offspring, but were not themselves used in experiments.