We receive many emails from members of the public – from students trying to write essays to individuals wanting to know more for their own understanding.
To help our readers, we have decided to improve and expand our current FAQs page.
We have tried to address the most common questions we get asked:
- Why do we need to use animals in experiments?
- Aren’t animals different from people?
- What is the difference between animal research and animal testing?
- Don’t we have alternatives to animal research?
- Is all research on cats, dogs and primates?
- How do researchers decide which species of animals to use for an experiment?
- Don’t the animals suffer in experiments?
- Who cares for animals’ welfare in labs?
- What happens to animals after the experiment?
- Is animal research morally justifiable?
Are there questions you think need to be in our FAQ? What do you think of our answers? We welcome constructive feedback.
Hopefully, our FAQ will help many more people understand the realities of animal research.
Speaking of Research 
“The use of animals is highly regulated”. Depends if you consider mice and rats “animals”. According to the USDA they are not, so they are not regulated under the animal welfare act.
It should be noted that much mice and rat use is still covered under PHS policy: https://speakingofresearch.com/facts/research-regulation/
Across the EU, mice, rats, fish and birds are all covered by EU Directive 2010/63
https://speakingofresearch.com/facts/animal-research-regulations-in-the-eu/