Animal Testing in the UK: Why Is It Still Happening?

When people think about animal testing, many imagine something from the distant past. Surely it doesn’t still happen in the UK? Sadly, it does.

Every year, millions of scientific procedures involving animals still take place across the UK. While mice and fish account for the majority, dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys and many other animals continue to be used in research. For many animal lovers, it’s an uncomfortable reality that feels impossible to reconcile with a nation that prides itself on loving animals, and the stats are horrifying:

Animal Testing in Great Britain: The Numbers

• • 2,637,578 scientific procedures involving living animals took place in 2024.

• • Around 73% of animals used in experimental procedures were mice.

• • 2,646 procedures involved dogs, mainly beagles.

• • 1,936 procedures involved monkeys.

• • 82 procedures involved cats.

• • Dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates receive additional legal protection under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, but they are still permitted to be used in licensed research.

The Puppy Factory Most People Have Never Heard Of

Hidden away in rural Cambridgeshire is a facility called MBR Acres. MBR Acres exists for one purpose – to breed beagles destined for laboratories. Campaign groups estimate that around 2,000 beagle puppies are bred there every year before being sold to research facilities in the UK and beyond. At around 16 weeks old, many of the beagles bred at MBR Acres leave the only environment they have ever known and are transported to research laboratories. Depending on the study they are assigned to, they may undergo regulated scientific procedures before being euthanised so researchers can examine the effects of the substances being tested – many before they reach their first year of life. While the facility operates under Home Office licence and regulation, campaigners have long argued that breeding dogs solely for laboratory use raises profound ethical questions—particularly at a time when alternatives to animal testing are advancing rapidly.

Whether you support or oppose animal testing, it’s a fact that surprises many people simply because they had no idea facilities like this still existed. Camp Beagle activists work tirelessly to highlight these pups’ plights, so do head over to their website to find out more.

Why Beagles?

It’s a question many people ask. Beagles aren’t chosen because they are somehow different from the dogs sleeping on our sofas. Quite the opposite. They are selected because they are naturally gentle, trusting, easy to handle and generally non-aggressive. Their size also makes them practical for laboratory housing.

In other words, many of the qualities that make them wonderful family pets are the very qualities that make them attractive to laboratories.

Isn’t Animal Testing Being Phased Out?

There is growing momentum towards replacing animal testing with modern alternatives.

Scientists are increasingly using technologies such as human cell cultures, computer modelling, artificial intelligence and “organs-on-chips” that can mimic the behaviour of human organs far more accurately than many traditional animal models. These methods can often produce faster, more human-relevant results.

Earlier this year, the UK Government announced a strategy aimed at reducing reliance on animal testing and accelerating the development of non-animal alternatives. However, many animal welfare organisations argue that progress remains too slow and that thousands of animals continue to suffer unnecessarily while change is debated.

Why This Matters

At Hopefield, we meet animals every day who have been exploited, neglected or treated as though their lives mattered less than human convenience. They don’t choose the life they’re born into. They don’t understand why they’re there. We believe every animal deserves the chance to run, play, explore, feel safe and experience kindness. Not because they’re useful to us, but because they are sentient beings with lives of their own. As science continues to develop effective alternatives to animal testing, we hope the day comes when no puppy – or any animals – is ever bred with the sole purpose of becoming a research tool.

Awareness Is the First Step

Many people simply don’t know that animal testing involving dogs still takes place in Britain. They don’t know that beagles are still being bred specifically for laboratories. They don’t know that researchers are increasingly developing alternatives that could reduce or replace the need for animals altogether. Whatever your views, informed conversations matter. The more we understand, the better placed we are to support scientific innovation that protects both human health and animal welfare.

One day, we hope animal testing will be something future generations read about in history books rather than the news. Until then, raising awareness matters. Because the more we question, the more we encourage innovation, compassion and a future where no animal is bred simply to be experimented on.