Today on World Animal Day, we call on regulators around the world to immediately end experiments on animals where valid humane alternatives already exist.

Our updated RAT (Replace Animal Tests) list highlights ten current animal tests that could end today, saving the lives of three quarters of a million animals (including rabbits, monkeys, dogs, guinea-pigs, mice, rats and fish) every year in Europe alone.

Despite the availability of non-animal methods, the ten animal tests on the RAT list still take place in laboratories worldwide. We want regulators around the world to end these cruel and unnecessary tests and switch to existing replacement methods that are cheaper, faster and more accurate. 

The RAT list includes cruel and controversial tests such as:

• Eye and skin irritation tests performed on rabbits which could be replaced using reconstituted human skin or eye models.
• The LD50 (Lethal Dose 50% test) where botulinum toxin (commonly known as botox) is injected into the abdomens of mice to determine the dose that kills, and which can be replaced by a cell-based tests.
• Batch toxicity tests where mice and guinea pigs are injected with a biological product and observed for signs of a reaction, often falling ill and dying, and which are now redundant and replaceable by in-vitro tests.

Dr Katy Taylor, our Director of Science, says: “On World Animal Day we appeal to regulators around the world to stop these animal tests, all of which are either redundant or easily replaceable, and enforce the use of already accepted human-relevant non-animal methods.

“When we campaign for an end to animal experiments, we are often told that this can only happen when valid alternatives are in place – for these ten cruel tests, they already are! Ending them could save the lives of three quarters of a million animals every year in Europe alone.”