Dogs and cats among 106,000 live animals used in scientific testing last year
The 15 per cent increase in the number of animals being used in tests has been described as "appalling" by the Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS)
Dogs and cats were among more than 106,000 live animals used for scientific research and testing last year, representing an increase of around 15 per cent compared to 2022.
There was also a significant rise in the number of experiments involving “severe” suffering for the test animals. These rose by almost 50 per cent to 19,816 during 2023.
This increase has been attributed to the expansion of testing for Botox-type products, most of which relate to cosmetics. Around 68,500 animals were used in these tests last year, which are fatal in the vast majority of cases.
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Mice were the most commonly used animal in scientific research and testing in Ireland last year, accounting for 81 per cent of the 106,639 animals subjected to procedures.
Some 1,852 rabbits, 8,440 rats, and 1,118 guinea pigs were also used, according to the latest annual report from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The animals also included 54 dogs, eight cats, 175 ferrets, 24 Syrian hamsters, 26 goats and 3,088 sheep. Three turkeys, 752 pigs, and 1,892 cattle were also among the animals listed in the report.
A total of 14,105 of the animals were used for “basic research”, according to the HPRA, while 17,527 were used for translational and applied research. Regulatory use and routine production accounted for 75,109 of the animal uses, which included the testing of Botox-type products.
The Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS), which campaigns against the use of animals in scientific research, described the increase in animal suffering outlined in the latest report as “appalling”.
“The ethical crisis in Irish labs is highlighted by the fact that the increase in numbers and severity is largely down to an expansion in the testing of ‘Botox’-type products, most of which are suspected of being destined for cosmetic use,” said a spokesperson.
Botox is a brand of botulinum, which is a powerful biological poison as well as an anti-wrinkle injection. Each batch is tested on groups of mice, which are given different doses to determine the dose at which half of the test subjects die. The half that survive are euthanised anyway.
In its annual report, the HPRA explains that batch testing of biological products is required because they can be “inherently variable”, and therefore must be tested to ensure that each batch is of a “consistent strength, and therefore both safe and effective for patients”.
While there was an increase of 15 per cent in the total number of animals used in testing last year, the HPRA noted that there had been a significant decrease over the previous six years, having reached almost 250,000 in 2017.
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