TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS USED: 225,310

THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS WHO DIED: 88,200

Purposes

Animals were used in the following ways in 2015:

• Basic biological research: 63,222
• Veterinary research: 47,125
• Teaching: 29,410
• Animal husbandry research: 20,268
• Medical research: 26,291
• Testing: 19,191
• Environmental management research: 14,195
• Species conservation: 3,336
• Other: 256
• Production of biological agents: 2,016
• Development of alternatives: 0

Types of Animals

The following animals were used in 2015:

• Amphibia: 1,368
• Birds: 15,627
• Cats: 519
• Cattle: 59,330
• Cephalopods/crustaceans: 2,200
• Deer: 8,497
• Dogs: 812
• Fish: 40,764
• Goats: 2,052
• Guinea pigs: 1,967
• Horses/donkeys: 283
• Marine mammals: 403
• Mice: 48,341
• Pigs: 738
• Possums: 2,977
• Rabbits: 1,494
• Rats: 9,387
• Reptiles: 4,473
• Sheep: 23,474
• Misc. species: 604

Organisation Type

The following types of organisations used animals in 2015:

• Universities: 69,170
• Commercial organisations: 96,221
• Crown Research Institutes: 34,585
• Other (commercial medical research, individuals etc.): 16,367
• Government departments: 2,847
• Polytechnics: 4,956
• Schools: 1,164

Source: 

MPI report for 2015.

NAEAC report for 2015.

Find out more about the animal manipulation forms (for example the definitions of the different purposes) here: Animal Use Statistics – Guidance for Completing Statistical Returns.