In the course of 2023, more than 50,000 animals were subjected to scientific tests in Brussels. The figure comes from the Brussels Environment Agency. The French-language non-profit organisation SEA (Suppression des Expériences sur l'Animal) is keen to publicise the figures. The organisation also criticises the death of more than 94,000 animals bred for scientific purposes but killed or that died before they could be used.
A total of 50,922 animals were used in animal tests in Brussels last year. Most were mice, guinea pigs, zebrafish or rats. Tests were also conducted on pigs, sheep, chickens and frogs.
Fundamental research (69.8 per cent) was the main reason tests were carried out. Experiments judged to cause great suffering and that may result in the animal’s death were carried out on 9,831 creatures. The figure is slightly down on the number for 2022: 10,314.
The number of animals that died before they could be used also fell last year: from 133,963 in 2022 to 94,394 in 2023.
The non-profit organisation SEA is unhappy that only 1 in 3 laboratories where experiments are carried out was inspected last year. It calls for more regular and unannounced inspections.