12 Disheartening Animal Testing Statistics in The UK (2023 Update)

Animal testing probably isn’t something many people think about very much, but it’s a reality many animals face. While some types of animal testing are banned in the UK, there are still several procedures performed on animals every year, and these numbers don’t seem to be going down. So, we’ll examine these disheartening animal testing statistics below, and to make it a little easier, we’ve separated the article into the following categories:

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12 Disheartening Animal Testing Statistics in The UK

  1. In 2021, the number of procedures on animals increased by 6%.
  2. 3% of the procedures conducted were described as “severe.”
  3. More than 100 million animals are used in research worldwide.
  4. Out of 3.06 million procedures, 57% were experimental, & 43% were for creating & breeding genetically altered animals.
  5. Animals can be “reused,” so there are more procedures than animals used for testing.
  6. The Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 regulates the use of animals for research in the UK.
  7. Some animals used are not mentioned because they aren’t covered by ASPA 1986.
  8. Testing cosmetics & their ingredients on animals was banned in 1998 in the UK..
  9. The first law came out in 1876 in an attempt to regulate animal testing.
  10. In 2021, 10% of procedures conducted in Great Britain were required by law.
  11. The RSPCA is working to provide funding & information on alternatives to animal testing.
  12. It’s estimated that the UK spends over £1 billion each year on animal testing.

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Animal Testing Procedure Statistics

1. In 2021, the number of procedures on animals increased by 6%.

(Understanding Animal Research)

There were 3.06 million procedures on animals carried out in 2021, which was a 6% increase from 2020. 96% of these procedures were performed on rats, mice, fish, and birds, while dogs, cats, and primates accounted for 0.2% of the procedures.

hand holding mouse for testing
Image Credit: tiburi, Pixabay

2. 1.3% of the procedures conducted were described as “severe.”

(Understanding Animal Research)

Half of the procedures were carried out by ten organizations that publish their figures on their websites. A procedure that is considered to be severe means there has been an impact on the health and well-being of the animal. This includes long-term diseases where the animal would need help with everyday activities like eating or drinking or where significant deficits in actions or behaviors persist. Animals found dead were classified as severe.


3. More than 100 million animals are used in research worldwide.

(RSCPA)

Animals that are tested experience suffering, pain, and distress, and the RSCPA aims to replace animal experiments with humane alternatives worldwide. Until then, they work to ensure the minimum number of animals are used in research, they experience minimal suffering, and their welfare improves significantly.


4. Out of 3.06 million procedures, 57% were experimental, & 43% were for creating & breeding genetically altered animals.

(Understanding Animal Research)

Experimental procedures use animals to develop treatments, specific surgical training and education, safety testing of pharmaceuticals and other substances, species protection, and environmental research. Procedures for creation and breeding involve breeding animals whose genes have been modified or have mutated. These animals are used to produce genetically altered offspring that are then used in experimental procedures, so while they aren’t used in these procedures, their offspring are.

Genetic Mutation
Image Credit: Pixabay

5. Animals can be “reused,” so there are more procedures than animals used for testing.

(Understanding Animal Research)

Each test is considered an additional procedure, even if it’s conducted on an animal previously used, which is why the number of procedures is higher. In total, the number of animals used in animal testing procedures in 2021 was 2,978,597.

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Animal Testing & the Law

6. The Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 regulates the use of animals for research in the UK.

(GovUK)

ASPA defines regulated procedures as experiments that could cause potential “pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm” to protected animals. This includes all living vertebrates except humans. There was an amendment in 1993 to include a single invertebrate, the common octopus, as a protected animal.

Specially protected species are subject to additional protection under this act and can only be used when other species aren’t suitable. This refers to dogs, cats, horses, and non-human primates.


7. Some animals used are not mentioned because they aren’t covered by ASPA 1986.

(GovUK and Speaking of Research)

Researchers widely use invertebrates like nematode worms and fruit flies, but because they aren’t covered by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, they aren’t included in statistics.

Ascaris lumbricoides
Image Credit: Rattiya Thongdumhyu, Shutterstock

8. Testing cosmetics & their ingredients on animals was banned in 1998 in the UK.

(Understanding Animal Research and Peta)

While a sales ban was implemented in the UK and EU in March 2013 on animal-tested cosmetic products and ingredients, companies can still sell products in the UK and EU that have been tested on animals.


9. The first law came out in 1876 in an attempt to regulate animal testing.

(Branch)

The Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 replaced the Cruelty to Animals Act, which was then replaced by ASPA.

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Extra Animal Testing Statistics

10. In 2021, 10% of procedures conducted in Great Britain were required by law.

(Cruelty-Free International)

This means that the rest of the procedures were done so voluntarily, and a significant number were conducted in universities, generally relying on taxpayer funding.

research scientist testing rats in a laboratory
Image Credit: Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock

11. The RSPCA is working to provide funding & information on alternatives to animal testing.

(RSPCA)

The RSPCA state that replacing animals in testing procedures will be difficult, but some alternatives can be used now. Some humane alternatives include:

  • Using isolated cells/tissues instead of live animals
  • Using computers to model bio-processes and predict the effects of drugs and chemicals
  • Designing alternative ways of doing experiments safely on human volunteers
  • Using simple organisms like bacteria to study basic bioprocesses
  • Exploring advanced technologies and using robotics and molecular techniques
  • Not experimenting at all

12. It’s estimated that the UK spends over £1 billion each year on animal testing.

(Cruelty-Free International)

Animal testing isn’t cheap; some tests can run for years, and the companies must budget to care for the animals.

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FAQ

Do Companies Still Apply for Animal Testing Licenses?

Yes, unfortunately, they do, and the numbers are quite high. In 2019, for example, there were 16,100 applications for the three types of licenses needed in the UK to perform animal testing. These licenses are a Personal License for individual testing, Project for the experiment, and an Establishment License for the institution. (GovUK)

Where Do I Get Information on Animal Testing in the UK?

The UK Government posts the statistics of scientific procedures annually in accordance with ASPA. These come out in June each year. (GovUK)

Woman on computer doing research
Image Credit: StockSnap, Pixabay

Have There Been Any Improvements Made?

This was the first time there were zero eye irritant tests conducted on animals, and 2021 also saw a decrease in regulatory tests, which are legally required on products like medicines. In these tests, animals are forced to ingest or inhale substances, inject them into their body, or apply them to their skin. (BBC)

Animals Are Protected by the Laws in Place, Aren’t They?

When a new drug is tested, it is done so on two animals: a rodent and a non-rodent. The UK Government defines animal tests as procedures that are “likely to cause pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm.” This means that while ASPA is there to regulate animal testing, it doesn’t mean very much in practice. These tests are designed to cause harm and distress, and investigations like the one done by Cruelty-Free International in 2013 show animals being mistreated or killed for no other reason except they served no further purpose.

Animal Aid even states that no researcher has ever been prosecuted under the 1986 Act despite investigations that showed dogs being punched, data being fabricated, and researchers laughing as they smashed live mice against benchtops to kill them. (GovUK and Cruelty-Free International and Animal Aid)

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Conclusion

The realities of the animal testing world in the UK are harsh, but we should be aware of them, especially as the figures are only rising. Charities like the RSPCA state that there are alternatives to animal testing, but they accept that they cost more and would also take time that some organizations might not be willing to spend. While the UK has put laws in place since the 1800s to protect animals, some organizations and charities question how useful they are in practice.


Featured Image Credit: Mongkolchon Akesin, Shutterstock

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