Number of experimental animals rises again

Of which two million alone was mause. In addition, 400,000 rats, 200,000 fish, more than 100,000 birds and 88,000 rabbits were used for experiments. This confirmed information from the "badische zeitung" (friday).

Animal welfare activists criticized the development. The organization "vier pfoten" demanded that germany, as a leading location for innovation and research in europe, should be a role model and call for alternative research methods.

2.7 percent more animals were used for basic biological research than in the previous year, and 4.4 percent more for the production and quality control of medical products, according to the report. On the other hand, fewer animals were used in the development and research of these products. Here, the number fell by ten percent according to statistics in 2011.

For research purposes, animals are sometimes killed in order to use cell material or organs for experiments. There has been an increase in this area for several years, as the ministry explained. On the other hand, direct interventions or treatments are carried out on fewer animals. As a rule, only animals that have been specially bred for the purpose are allowed to be used in experiments. Tests for cosmetics are banned.