• Question: If you have done, how many animals have you tested on and what animals were they?

    Asked by bilnythescienceguy to Derek, Elaine, Heather, Keith on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Elaine Marshall

      Elaine Marshall answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      I have worked on mice in the past. It would be a very difficult question to answer in terms of numbers, but I guess probably a few hundred over the last few years. There are extremely tight rules on animal testing but I can honestly say that only the minimum number of animals have been used in my studies. Every test we performed was approved by our vets and ethics committee.

      No animal is tested on needlessly and every life counts.

    • Photo: Heather Eyre

      Heather Eyre answered on 27 Jun 2013:

      I’ve only worked with rats. In total my work has used less than 50 so far as each animal produced a lot of data. It`s really important to make sure every animal that is used provides you with as much useful data as possible. Strict laws mean you have to use a few animals as possible, but also that they have to be properly looked after.

      Another way use of animals is reduced is by sharing tissue, so I needed kidney and blood data someone else`s work used the aorta.

      If you have rats for a while they get to know you and mine were no different. When doing their blood pressure they`re wrapped in a blanket on my knee or tucked under my arm as its warm! They also pinch food from my hand.

    • Photo: Keith Siew

      Keith Siew answered on 27 Jun 2013:

      Like Elaine I too would have used a few hundred over the past number of years. But like the others I make sure to get as much useful information per animal as possible, reduce pain and discomfort/stress as much as possible and I share my “spare” tissues with other people in the lab or “archive” them for later uses… I try to make sure nothing goes to waste!

      I couldn’t have put it better than Elaine “No animal is tested on needlessly and every life counts”

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