Millions of Animals Tested in Labs Each Year – Including Dogs Bred for Research

More than 2.6 million animal procedures are carried out in the UK every year and despite growing concern, dogs are still being bred and used in scientific research.

New figures show that in 2024, around 2.64 million scientific procedures involving animals were conducted across Great Britain. While this represents a slight decrease on previous years, the overall number remains high, with millions of animals still used within laboratory settings.

The majority of procedures involve mice, rats, fish, birds and dogs.

Animal welfare groups say this often comes as a surprise to the public.

One campaigner said, “Many people are unaware that dogs are still bred and used in laboratories. These are intelligent animals, and this raises important ethical questions.”

Focus on modern drug development

The issue has gained renewed attention following wider public discussion around the development of weight-loss injections, sometimes referred to as “fat jabs”.

As with most new medicines, these treatments have undergone animal testing as part of regulatory safety requirements before being approved for human use.

Some campaign groups have raised concerns about the role of animals in this process, particularly where treatments are viewed by sections of the public as lifestyle-related rather than essential.

Reports and campaigners have highlighted concerns about the potential impact of testing on animals, contributing to growing debate around the ethics of current practices.

What are these procedures for?

Animal use in the UK is primarily linked to:

• Medical and scientific research
• The development and safety testing of new medicines
• Breeding animals for future research programmes

Of the 2.64 million procedures recorded, around 1.4 million were experimental, with the remainder relating to breeding including genetically altered animals used in research.

A growing debate

Pressure is increasing from campaigners and sections of the public who believe more should be done to reduce reliance on animal testing.

Advances in areas such as:

• Lab-grown human tissues
• Computer modelling
• Artificial intelligence

are often cited as potential alternatives for the future.

One resident reacting to the figures said, “It’s something many people don’t think about, but when you hear the numbers, it does make you question whether more alternatives should be used.”

The bottom line

Millions of animals including dogs continue to be bred and used in UK laboratories each year.

While the practice remains legal and regulated, it is also the subject of an ongoing and increasingly high-profile debate about ethics, necessity, and the future of scientific research.

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