You may be surprised, even shocked, to learn that scientific experiments on animals are still being undertaken on a large scale in the UK. The matter has been recently debated in the English parliament, following the success of an e-petition (number 705384) calling for an immediate ban on experiments undertaken on dogs. The petition has, so far, attracted 240,827 signatures, and is open until 14th August 2025.
The parliamentary debate included a discussion about the number of dogs involved (in 2023, 2,456 dogs were used in 3,749 scientific procedures) and the corresponding welfare of those animals (734 of the procedures were classed as causing severe or moderate harm).
MPs also heard about specific examples of experiments – one such being a study conducted by AstraZeneca to test a more eco-friendly propellant for use in inhalers. Their tests lasted up to 39 weeks and involved 72 beagles, the breed most commonly used in animal experiments involving dogs. The dogs were tethered and forced to inhale the gas for two hours each day through a mask fitted inside a muzzle. They had no access to water during this time, and for 16 hours overnight. At the end of the study, all the dogs were euthanized, as is the usual practice, so that their tissues could be dissected for further study.
MPs were informed that inhalers contribute a very small fraction of global hydrofluoroalkane emissions, and were asked to consider whether the ends justify the means?
Questions were also raised about the relevance of experiments on animals and the benefits they have in human medicine (thalidomide, for example, was tested safely on animals; and whilst chocolate is poisonous for dogs, it certainly isn’t for humans), and alternatives to animal experimentation were discussed – not least 3-D computer modelling and AI generated tests.
However, there is insufficient funding for developing non-animal methods – the sum spent on them represents just 0.5% of total research funding in the UK.
The UK government says it is committed to phasing out animals in medical testing, but that this is a long-term goal requiring further scientific validation, and that it cannot be introduced immediately (as the petition calls for). But we’ve been talking about phasing out experiments on animals for decades, with very little action. It’s time for governments around the world, not least our own, and ‘big pharma’ to deliver results.