Animals in the spotlight in animal tests at WUR

Not every study involving animals is legally considered animal testing. If the study is as bothersome to the animal as an injection with a needle, it counts as animal testing. However, in more and more tests, the actual discomfort to the animals is negligible. For instance, during a study with cameras in a barn, the animals aren’t affected at all. Studies that are considered animal tests come in a wider variety than most people expect. Are the following statements about animal testing at WUR true or false?

1. WUR uses mice and rats for most animal tests

FALSE, only 3% of the animal tests at WUR involve mice and rats. WUR also performs research involving farm animals, pets and wild animals. Three quarters of the animal tests performed by WUR are aimed at protecting species, sometimes on the basis of a legal obligation. WUR also performs lots of research into monitoring fish populations. As such, the majority of animal tests involve fish.

2. Animal tests at WUR are not only performed for the sake of human health

TRUE, a small portion of the tests involve research into human diseases, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, as well as food safety. Other important research objectives include animal health, sustainable food production and sustainable management of our living environment. Take, for instance, monitoring birds (of prey) with GPS trackers to determine the influence of windmills and the risk of collisions. These types of studies involving livestock and wild animals may only involve low levels of discomfort, as opposed to medical research.

3. Research involving animals at WUR primarily takes place in labs

FALSE, these types of research also take place at other locations. At farms, for example, such as the Dairy Campus innovation centre, the animals stay in their own surroundings or are immediately returned to their group. Wild animals are provided with a transmitter, or the researchers take a small DNA sample. Afterwards, the animals are immediately returned to nature. WUR maintains the same standards in the Netherlands and abroad, even if there is no legal framework. Dogs and cats often stay at home, and their owners help us perform the tests. The latter is not considered animal testing.

4. Many of the tests WUR performs on farm animals only have an economic purpose

FALSE, this does not correspond with WUR’s goals. Usually, the tests concern aspects like health, wellbeing, environment and living environment. For instance, research in the livestock sector may involve the digestibility of food or the impact of livestock farming on the environment. WUR also works on developing new livestock systems that contribute to humane and sustainable food production.

5. In the future, animal tests at WUR will become obsolete

(probably) FALSE, although this is, of course, the goal of the 3 R’s: Replace, Reduce and Refine. New technologies are developed rapidly, and, as a result, tests are becoming ever less bothersome to the animal. Researchers can increasingly perform studies without even touching any animals, like when determining whether certain species appear in a stream or lake. In order to develop alternatives such as organoids (mini organs) and computer models, we sometimes temporarily need to perform more animal tests. After all, we need to be sure the results of these new methods are as reliable as actual animal tests. On top of that, there will always be research questions that can only be answered by performing animal tests.

WUR is one of the few universities in the Netherlands that primarily perform research for the animal or ecosystem itself. The research ranges from fundamental to applied studies, and combines many disciplines: physiology, (cell) biology, nutrition, genetics, environment, behaviour and ecology. As such, projects can be combined. That way, WUR can work even harder to realise its goals of replacement, reduction and refinement and continue to gather valuable knowledge about the animal and its environment!