Breeding units are yet another dark secret of the animal experimentation industry.

Many animals are bred specifically to be used for research, testing or teaching purposes in NZ. The fate of these animals has already been predetermined; they never stood a chance.

In 2022 alone, 60,043 animals used for science came from breeding units.

When animals are bred to be used for science, it is impossible to breed the exact number of animals required. "Excess," unwanted animals are just a standard part of the breeding process. Sadly, thousands of these "excess" animals are killed every single year in NZ.

In fact, over a three-year period (2020-2022) nearly half a million animals were bred for science, never used and subsequently killed in NZ alone.

THE TYPES OF ANIMALS BRED IN NZ INCLUDE:

• Cattle
• Goats
• Mice
• Rats
• Sheep
• Rabbits
• Cats
• Dogs
• Deer
• Fish
• Horses
• Pigs
• Guinea pigs
• Pigeons
• Fowls/chickens
• Other birds
• Amphibians
• Reptiles

This may not be a complete list – it’s only the information that we could obtain via Official Information Act Request requests.

INSTITUES THAT SOURCED ANIMALS FROM BREEDING UNITS:

• Ag Research Ltd
• Boffa Miskell Ltd
• Cave and Harvey Research
• CuroNZ Ltd
• Department of Conservation
• Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd - Manaaki Whenua
• Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
• ManukaMed Limited Partnership
• Massey University
• National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA)
• National Trade Academy
• New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd
• Nzeno Ltd
• Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Ltd
• University of Auckland
• University of Canterbury
• University of Otago
• University of Otago, Christchurch
• University of Otago, Wellington
• University of Waikato
• Victoria University of Wellington
• Waikato Institute of Technology

This may not be a complete list – it’s only the information that we could obtain via Official Information Act Request requests.

WHERE THE BREEDING UNITS ARE LOCATED

This is one of the problems – due to how well hidden this industry is, we don’t know for sure where all the breeding units are!

From an Official Information Act request we sent out in 2014, we know that the following institutes had their own breeding unit during 2012 – 2014:

• Massey University (they bred sheep, cats and rats)
• University of Auckland (mice, rats, guinea pigs and zebrafish)
• AUT (mice)
• Victoria University (rats, mice, and tuatara)
• University of Waikato (chickens)
• University of Canterbury (rats)
• University of Otago (mice, rats guinea pigs)
• AgResearch (mice, rats, goats and cows)

We can’t be certain that this is still the case. Also, this list doesn’t include any of the private breeding facilities.

WHAT THE BREEDING UNITS LOOK LIKE

Due to the high level of secrecy that this industry has, we do not know what all breeding units look like. However, as an indication, check out the photos of AgResearch’s animal housing taken in 2014 below.

Mouse room:

SPF (Specific Pathogen Free – this is a term used to describe animals that are guaranteed to be free of certain diseases e.g. influenza) area: