Shocking breaches in laboratory animal welfare revealed in British labs!
At the end of October, the Home Office finally released transparency data about the breaches in British laboratory animal welfare between 2019-2021. We’re extremely disappointed that it’s been three years since the Government last updated this information, which we’re sure you’ll agree is of significant public interest.
Between 2019-2021, there have been 329 recorded cases of non-compliance across British labs, which affected at least 28,453 sentient animals. Over 4,500 animals reportedly experienced ‘adverse welfare outcomes’, meaning they “experienced more pain, distress, suffering or lasting harm than was authorised, or would have been authorised had it been requested.” In other words, they suffered even more than they should have.
Shocking examples include:
- Thousands of genetically altered mice and fish being bred who didn’t need to be;
- Hundreds of fish dying due to tank cleaning and draining errors;
- 112 live rats being crushed in a compactor due to “individual error”;
- A non-human primate dying after no one noticed they’d become trapped;
- Rats dying because of restraining devices being applied too tightly;
- Animals being left without food and water for hours – even days – on end;
- Mice being killed and dissected in front of other live animals;
- Unauthorised people taking blood samples, carrying out implants and performing other procedures on animals they’re not permitted to.
We’re extremely troubled that failures to provide basic care, such as food, water and suitable facilities for animals, still account for a significant proportion of laboratory animal welfare breaches. 55% in 2019, 45% in 2020, and 44% in 2021. This has been an ongoing problem for years.
How are people who can’t even provide for animals’ basic needs being allowed to work in labs?
Regulation in laboratories relies heavily on self-reporting and remote inspections have become the norm. In 2021, for instance, 214 inspections were carried out on licensed laboratories, but only 41 actually involved someone going on-site.
How can anyone inspect an entire animal laboratory from behind a computer screen?
Penalties for non-compliance include verbal advice, compliance notices, revocation of a licence, and prosecution. Most cases between 2019 and 2021 were dealt with using verbal advice or letters. Just 13 licences were suspended and only five were revoked. There were no prosecutions.
How can it be that thousands of animals have suffered and yet those responsible have received little more than a slap on the wrist?
It doesn’t need to be this way.
Clearly, regulation isn’t working and it’s time to see the back of animal experiments. If, like us, you find the ongoing use of animals in experiments abhorrent, please write to the UK Government today and ask them to #CallTimeOnAnimalTesting:
SIgn our petition
Call time on animal experiments
Despite being an updated and cruel practice, sadly it is approximated that 3 million animals are still being used in ‘animal research’ in the UK. (Please note this campaign has now closed.)
JOIN US IN ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO PUBLISH AN OFFICIAL DEADLINE FOR ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS IN THE UK
(Please note this campaign has now closed.)
