We have shared our initial recommendations to assist the government in their plans to phase-out animal testing in the UK, in our latest report ‘Creating a cruelty-free future’.
It has been sent to key government ministers, including the Home Secretary, and Secretaries of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Health and Social Care, and Science, Innovation and Technology. It has also been sent to a selection of other Members of Parliament who have previously championed the end of animal testing, with a view to supporting their efforts to promote the phase-out in Parliament.
The report, which can be downloaded here, details the first concrete steps that can be taken by the government towards delivering on its manifesto commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”.
We continue to stand ready to assist with the development of a roadmap with clear targets, milestones and actions, guided by a board of experts and led by a new minister to co-ordinate plans across all departments.
Our proposals represent priority actions that a government which is serious about the end of animal testing must take in the early stages of its tenure. None of the proposals require the introduction of new laws or major additional expenditure, and can be started without delay. In taking these steps, the government can set the long-term trajectory and establish clear expectations while taking advantage of early wins and laying the foundations for future success.
These include:
- Appointing a Minister for Animals in Science
- Creation of a Cross-Government Taskforce to enhance co-ordination
- Publishing a list of tests which are already redundant and can be ended immediately
- Setting targets and deadlines for each stage of the phase-out
- Redirecting funding away from animal-based research into non-animal testing methods
- Reforming R&D (Research & Development) tax incentives to promote innovation in animal-free science
- Creating an Animal-Free Science Innovation Hub
Home Office statistics show that there were over 2.76 million uses of animals in laboratories in Great Britain in 2022.
This means that animals suffer in over 7,560 experiments conducted in laboratories in Great Britain every day – over 315 experiments on animals are conducted every hour of every day, or five every minute. Many of the animals used will go on to die as a result of their cruel treatment. These tests include the use of dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, guinea pigs, hamsters and monkeys, as well as rats and mice.
Animal testing pervades almost every aspect of daily life in the UK – food, clothes, household cleaning products, furniture, electronic goods, paints and dyes can all be associated with animal testing on their way to our homes, through tests required by regulators to assess the safety or effectiveness of every product.
These changes also have significant public support: in 2021, our survey found that 66% of people want a government-led plan to phase-out animal experiments with a target date for ending tests in the UK.
Our UK and EU Head of Public Affairs, Dylan Underhill, said: “In their manifesto, The Labour Party made a bold commitment to reach out across society to work towards the phase out of animal testing. We stand ready with years of experience, and ambitious but practical proposals, to tackle this mission with them now that they are in government.
“Animal testing is simply not good science yet inexplicably continues as the default method for testing the safety of products. Animal testing touches our lives in many ways that most of us don’t appreciate, yet non-animal testing methods have in many cases already proven themselves to be faster, cheaper and more accurate than animal testing.
“Animal testing won’t end tomorrow, but a total phase-out is within our grasp if we are bold and seize the opportunities presented by cutting-edge, humane and human-relevant science.”
Every minute, five animals suffer in experiments in British laboratories. By donating today, you could help us carry out research into non-animal test methods and make sure they are used. Will you join the fight for a cruelty-free UK today?