MORE THAN 112,000 animals were used for research and testing purposes in Irish laboratories during 2024, representing a 5% increase on the previous year, new figures have revealed.
Mice were used in almost 86% of the experiments but other species included dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, horses, goats, and ferrets. Around 1,400 animals were used in more than one experiment. Just over 19,000 of the experiments involved “severe” pain and suffering for the animals, as categorised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), which is responsible for protecting animals used for scientific purposes.
The increase in the use of animals in Irish labs for a second consecutive year has been criticised by the Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS), which said the rise in “severe” experiments was particularly worrying. “The number of experiments involving the infliction of ‘severe’ pain and suffering remains unacceptably high, with 19,054 enduring such extreme cruelty, representing an increase of over 44%, or almost 6,000 animals, in just two years,” said a spokesman.