How many animal tests does WUR carry out?

On this page, we provide figures and information about the number of animal experiments at Wageningen University & Research (WUR): in total 60,363 were carried out in 2024.

All the animal testing reported here is covered by the Experiments on Animals Act (Wod) and was completed in 2024. Not all the animals in the following overview are housed in WUR facilities. Research into the conservation or recovery of populations in the wild can only be done using wild animals (for example, much of the research involving fish). Some animal testing is also carried out on experimental farms, on chickens and pigs, for example.

To further clarify the figures, it should be mentioned that an animal may sometimes be involved in animal testing on several occasions. Due to this ‘reuse’, the actual number of animals used is therefore lower than the number of animal experiments carried out. This is subject to specific conditions set out in Article 1e of the Experiments on Animals Act (Wod). For example, when animals are reused, the previous animal test may only have caused mild or moderate discomfort and the subsequent animal test may only be in the categories light, moderate or non-recovery discomfort.

In 2024, 406 animals were reused at WUR. Like last year, this mainly involves cattle used for statutory routine and nutritional testing. Several pigs were also used for training and education. Staff and students learn to handle these animals properly, so that any discomfort experienced by the animals during the process is reduced. Finally, cattle were reused to study so-called vector competence: the degree to which, in this case, insects are capable of transmitting infectious diseases.

In the following overviews, we assume the number of animal experiments, i.e. the number of times that an animal was used or reused in an experiment, with some form of discomfort. Here we include animals to which non-recovery discomfort applied.

Figures and trends

Figures

A total of 60,363 animal experiments were carried out at WUR in 2024, an increase of 7% compared with 2023.

This increase is caused by annual fluctuations in the number of 'other fish' used for a test. Like last year, this relates to stock monitoring and fish migration surveys (see more information below).

The permits for the fish migration survey and the stock monitoring survey run until the end of 2025 and the end of 2027, respectively. The figures from these surveys are expected to continue to influence the overall figures through 2027. Incidentally, the permits for such projects are often renewed because of the ongoing importance of this research. The impact of these figures on the total is shown in the figures below (Figures 1 and 2).

Taken together, there has been a decline with respect to other animal species over the past 10 years.

Collecting data on fish stocks, by cathing, measuring and/ or killing fish for (internal) research tends to arise from statutory obligations. This provides policy-making government agencies with information about the state of fish stocks and the long-term and short-term effects of their exploitation. This information can also help answer questions related to the ecosystems and food webs.

Fish experience delay or obstruction in migration, additional mortality due to so-called 'structures' (human constructions) and a higher risk of predation or fishery catch at barries. The fish migration survey should help ensure that targeted interventions can restore fish populations.

The decline in animal testing can be explained by various factors. A major cause is the work on alternatives that WUR is doing. This not only makes it possible to refine animal testing but also replace it. You can read more about the work on alternatives on our animal testing homepage. Incidentally, research into alternatives may also raise new (scientific) questions, sometimes requiring the use of additional laboratory animals. In that case, it should be investigated whether the alternative works at least as well as the original animal test.

Furthermore, the decline in animal testing may be an effect of stricter laws and regulations: the new Experiments on Animals Act celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024. In addition, the number of projects has decreased in recent years. Finally, the number of animals for which permits have been applied and granted in follow-up projects is often lower than in the original project. This is because it is easier to estimate the actual number of animals needed based on the previous project: i.e. progressive insight.

Number of laboratory animals used in 2024 by WUR

Number of laboratory animals used in 2024 by Wageningen University (WU), Wageningen Research (WR) and in total

Figure 1: Trends in animal testing at WUR

Trend in animal testing at WUR, corrected for 2 extensive fish surveys

Figure 2: Trends in animal testing corrected for two extensive fish surveys

Objectives of animal testing

Animal testing can be used for various reasons. At WUR, however, most animal testing is carried out for the benefit of the animal species itself - we call this target animal research.

When conducting target animal research, the animal is the model for the species itself. 'Target animal research' is not a category as used in the official registration of used laboratory animals in the Netherlands (or internationally). When these categories are referred to in this report, we feel it is important to mention that target animal research takes place in various categories. Target animal research can also take place within a category like Applied Research. For example, work is under way to characterise avian influenza viruses in chickens, with the aim of reducing symptoms and containing the spread of this virus in poultry.

As in previous years, Protection of Animal Species is the category for which most animal testing is used. In 2024, 80% of animal testing was in this category. Again, fisheries research accounts for most of that testing.

Over 11% of the testing was done in applied research. Much of this applied research is again target animal research: out of the 6,806 animals, 5,559 were used for studies on animal diseases and health, animal nutrition and diagnostics of animal diseases and zoonoses.

Leaving aside stock monitoring and fish migration surveys, we can better see how important applied research is for WUR (Figure 4). With applied research, we aim to put our acquired knowledge, which is especially important for and originates from the university's research, to immediate practical use in solving practical problems and issues.

An example is the study dealing with strengthening the resistance of young tilapia in fish farming (694 animals). With the increasing demand for animal proteins, it is important that we can provide these in a sustainable and animal-friendly way.

Another example of an extensive study in this category (1,266 animals) is research into how farm animals (chickens and pigs) utilise feedstuffs. This particularly applies to new (hitherto unused) feedstuffs such as seaweed and insects, regionally produced feedstuffs and by-products of human food preparation. Among other things, this knowledge can be used to further develop circular agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint of animal production.

These figures show (again) that WUR's animal testing focuses on the animal: of the 60,363 animals, 59,156 were used for the benefit of the animal (species) itself.

Research is also conducted for human purposes: 1,726 animals were used for this purpose. Many of these (624) were used to study the development of influenza vaccines and antivirals, which offer broader and more long-term protection against human influenza than pre-existing agents. This project is part of a strategic preparation for a flu pandemic. Other animals (463 animals) were used for human research into the mechanism behind ageing and related metabolic diseases. In view of the rapidly ageing global population, this research can help develop interventions to ensure that people around the world can age healthily.

Figure 3: Objectives of animal testing at WUR

Figure 4: Objectives of animal testing at WUR excluding fish research mentioned

Level of discomfort

Discomfort

The level of an animal’s discomfort is estimated before the experiment, with a final assessment following afterwards. When assessing the discomfort, various factors are considered. For example, the pain and fear caused by a particular experiment, whether there is any permanent harm and whether the integrity of the animal is violated. Knowledge of the specific animal species is also needed to assess whether a procedure causes discomfort. For example, solitary housing of a social species like pigs causes discomfort.

The animal’s discomfort is assessed cumulatively, whereby the discomfort of the different procedures is added up. Sometimes an experiment involves different procedures, for example, each causing ‘mild discomfort’. However, if we take into account all the procedures throughout the experiment, the entire experiment may then fall into the ‘moderate discomfort’ category, for example.

The level of discomfort remained the same in 2024 compared to 2023. Fisheries research does not have much impact on the ratio between mild and moderate discomfort in 2024.

Non-recovery the assessed animal testing involves experiments whereby the animal is only subjected to procedures under general anaesthetic. The animal does not regain consciousness and is euthanised.

Mild discomfort involves the risk of short-term mild discomfort. These activities and procedures do not therefore significantly impair the animal's well-being. These could include the administration of and waking from a light sedation, taking a single blood sample, or administering a substance through a tube.

With moderate discomfort there is a risk that the animal briefly experiences a moderate level of discomfort or mild discomfort for a longer time. Examples of procedures that cause moderate discomfort are more frequent blood sampling or several days (depending on the species) of solitary confinement of social animals.

Severe discomfort is the highest category of discomfort. The animal is likely to experience severe discomfort during an experiment that seriously impairs the animal's well-being. Examples of procedures that cause severe discomfort are exposure to a deadly disease associated with long-term pain and discomfort, or keeping a social species in solitary confinement for a longer period of time (several weeks).