The German Animal Welfare Act defines animal experiments as ‘interventions or treatments for experimental purposes on animals, if they may be associated with pain, suffering or harm to these animals’. These include experiments in which scientists change the genetic material of an animal, as well as the breeding of genetically modified animal lines.
Animal tests serve the purpose for the following:  basic research, the investigation and treatment of diseases (in humans and animals), of legally required toxicity and safety tests of drugs and chemicals.

• basic research,
• the investigation and treatment of diseases (in humans and animals)
• of legally required toxicity and safety testing of drugs and chemicals.

In addition, there are animal tests for training, further education and continuing professional development, as well as for the production and propagation of substances, products or organisms, if they are needed for research (such as antibodies).

The killing of animals solely for the purpose of organ harvesting or cell collection shall not be considered an animal experiment. The cells or organs can be examined either directly. Or they can be used to establish a cell or tissue culture. Such in vitro cultures will then help, among other things, to supplement tests on live animals or, if possible, to partially replace them.

Each year, approximately 2.8 million laboratory animals are used in Germany.

In 2020, about 58% of the animals were used for basic research, another 13% for translational and applied research, and about 2% for training, further education and continuing professional development. Other purposes for which animals have been used for research purposes are: Regulatory purpose and routine production (approx. 19%), conservation of species (1%), protection of the environment in the interests of human and animal health or well-being < 1%, preservation of colonies of established genetically modified animals not used in other processes (approx. 6%).  You can find more information about the experimental animals we use here in the FAQ section.

In order to create the best possible conditions for the prevention, detection and treatment of diseases, we carry out animal experiments within the framework of translational and applied research and basic biomedical research.

The aim of basic biomedical research is to improve the living situation for humans. This is not least in line with the principle of solidarity, the obligation to provide the best possible therapy, help and support to the vulnerable, the weak and the sick.
In addition to basic biomedical research, we also conduct basic biological research:

The aim of basic biological research is to gain knowledge about fundamental biological processes and to investigate questions about nature and environmental protection. In the long term, these findings can also help to improve the living situation of humans and animals.

In addition to research, teaching is another important function of our university. With around 50,000 students per year and around 100 quality-assured study programmes, the University of Cologne is one of the largest universities in the Federal Republic of Germany. For the most part, these study programmes run without the use of animals and alternative methods are used. The use of animals in teaching and training must be critically considered. In accordance with our guidelines, we have a high moral responsibility toward animals, including in teaching.

However, some animals are used in teaching at our university. Here, a clear distinction must be made between training tests requiring approval and procedures without approval. Interventions for training purposes on vertebrates and cephalopods, which are associated with a potential exposure to the animal, must be approved in advance by the competent authority (State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection). This means that as soon as an exposure can only be expected, the intervention is subject to the approval requirement. At our university, the required approval for training experiments are also carried out, e.g. as part of laboratory animal studies courses or the training of new employees. The transfer of knowledge about the Animal Welfare Act, ethics and the lab animal is essential for the group of people who come into contact with animal experiments in their later professional field. Only those who know the behaviour and needs of the lab animals, have learned how to handle them in an animal-welfare-friendly manner and understand the moral value of the test animal, practice animal-welfare-friendly and responsible research on their own initiative. For example, future ‘scientists’ who have not worked on animals before will learn how to use rats and mice in animal welfare courses. Here, where possible, video demonstrations and the use of animal-free models are used.  The animal protection-appropriate marking of laboratory animals, the handling of laboratory animals or the injection of substances are trained under supervision. In addition, all participants will of course receive background information on the legislation, ethics in animal testing and the implementation of the 3R principle. Our own training of new employees allows us to directly communicate the standards in animal welfare and good scientific practice. Of course, this also means that animal experiments – including in teaching – are kept to an absolute minimum.

In our case, tests on mice, fish, lampreys, rats, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep and naked moll-rats are carried out, although not every species is used every year. In 2021, 58,086 animals were used.

Graph Number of animals and species involved

The 3R Principle was described in 1959 by the British scientists William Russel and Rex Burch as a principle of animal experimental work in the book ‘The Principles of Human Experimental Technique’. The aim of the 3R principle is to completely avoid animal experiments (Replacement) and to limit the number of experimental animals (Reduction) and their stress levels (Refinement) and keep them to an absolute minimum level. The implementation of the 3R Principle in animal research is mandated by the Animal Welfare Act.

In addition to the aforementioned 3R Principle, all employees of the University of Cologne assume the special responsibility required for the handling of animals (Responsibility).

Further information: https://tierschutzbeauftragte.uni-koeln.de/legal_and_ethical_framework/3rs_principle/index_eng.html

Of course, you are worried when your pet has disappeared. However, the fear that your pet will be used in an animal test is unfounded.  The origin of the animals which may be used in an animal experiment is strictly regulated by law by Section 19 of the Laboratory Animal Welfare Ordinance. It is unequivocal here that in principle only laboratory animals from special, standardized experimental animal breeds may be used.

Tests on animals are carried out, among other things, in order to achieve controlled, standardized conditions. The scientists know exactly what age the animals have, what sex, how the animals were kept and how the animals were previously kept and treated. This standardization allows them to rule out any influence of lifestyle factors on the test results. Accordingly, it is not only forbidden, but also makes no sense from a scientific point of view to use found pets in animal experiments. You can find help with the search for your pet through the local veterinarians, the local animal shelters and the pet register (e.g. Tasso).

Every animal test must be approved by the competent authority (here the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection) before it is carried out. This approval process must accurately describe the issue, each procedure and each treatment. This request must also describe in detail the measures taken in accordance with the 3R principle. It also asks what we are doing to keep the number of animals and the load on the animals as low as possible.

It is required by law that the least onerous method is to be used and this must be evaluated regularly (Section 17 and Section 30 Laboratory Animal Welfare Ordinance). Otherwise, the test will not be approved. In addition, from a scientific point of view, it makes no sense for animals to suffer. It is known that pain and stress have a negative effect on the test results. Accordingly, it is not only from a moral point of view or due to the legal requirements that animals should be absolutely prevented from suffering, but also from a scientific point of view.

Further information about the 3R principle and our measures can be found here.

In recent years, there have been great successes in the development of alternative methods and many animal tests are now being replaced by alternative methods, or the number of animals used can be reduced by the alternative methods. However, not all animal tests can (yet) be replaced by alternative methods. Wherever necessary, the University of Cologne continues to conduct animal-experimental research in basic biomedical and biological research.

Before an animal experiment is approved, the scientist must demonstrate that the experimental goal cannot be achieved by alternative methods. Animal testing is not only associated with a high financial and logistical effort, but also entails a high moral responsibility and emotional burden for the employees, accordingly the number of animals is kept as low as possible, and alternative methods are used where possible.

Further information about the 3R principle and our measures can be found here.

In fact, there are strict restrictions on access to laboratory animal husbandry, and outsiders are not allowed to enter the them. This serves to protect the animals used in experiments. Mice and rats, for example, are nocturnal animals, i.e. they sleep during the day, so any access to the holding rooms should be dedicated to prevent the animals from being disturbed during their rest period.

In addition to the possible noise exposure, any entry into an animal facility poses a hygiene risk for the animals. Any germ introduced into animal husbandry can possibly make the animals sick and/or have an influence on the test results. In addition, the questions dealt with are often highly complex and seem abstract and incomprehensible to the layman.

The breeding of experimental animals must be carried out according to needs. It is imperative to ensure that as few animals as possible are born that are not used in tests. However, we are working with genetically modified animals. The birth of animals that do not carry the genetic information required for the tests is unavoidable. To this end, we have developed a process description that regulates the mandatory breeding planning and the exact handling of animals that cannot be used directly in the experimental project. This includes, among other things, a mandatory check to see if they can be used for other purposes. It is therefore necessary to check whether these animals cannot be used in breeding or in any other experimental project, or whether another working group can use these animals. In addition, so-called wild rodents, i.e. rodents without genetic modification are given as food to animals.  In 2021, for example, around 500 birds of prey and owls could be supplied by these animals and a release rate of more than 70% could be achieved.