The number of animals used in scientific research at the University of B.C. dipped by almost five per cent in 2013 from the previous year, though there was a slight increase in the more invasive and painful categories of research, according to a recently released disclosure statement.
Almost 60 per cent of all animals used in research were rodents, while about 1.5 per cent were other small mammals, large mammals and marine mammals. The remaining 40 per cent were fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds.
In all, 63 animals — 0.03 per cent of all 216,450 animals used for research — were subjected to so-called Category E conditions of severe pain near, at, or above the pain tolerance threshold of unanesthetized conscious animals, as defined by the Canadian Council on Animal Care in science (CCAC).
The number of animals subjected to Category D research, involving moderate to severe distress or discomfort, grew by 2.55 per cent to 76,496 animals.
The animal rights group Stop UBC Animal Research responded to the report by calling on the university to end the most invasive categories of research and adopt research protocols that do not require animals.
Andre Menache, the group’s scientific adviser, pointed out that nearly 60 per cent of all animals used are for basic research, rather than medical and veterinary research or regulatory testing of drugs and medical products, which are required by Canadian law before they can be used on humans.
“Most people are opposed to inflicting harm and suffering on animals for the sake of curiosity-driven research,” said Menache, in a statement.
Menache urged UBC to add outside experts to the panel of scientists that reviews animal research proposals, “to include scientists with expert knowledge of replacements to the use of animals in research and testing.”
UBC’s associate vice-president for research Helen Burt said the university adheres to the highest ethical standards for animal research and remains the only university in Canada that discloses animal research statistics.
“As an institution with one of the largest health research programs in the country, we feel it is appropriate to engage with the public in discussing the nature — numbers of animals, species and types of studies — and importance of animal research in understanding human and animal disease, new medical discoveries, new therapies and better conservation practices for animals in the wild,” she said in an email interview.
The university’s animal care committee, the group charged with monitoring the health and welfare of animals and managing changes in animal welfare protocols, is comprised of UBC experts, veterinarians, faculty, a student representative and two members of the public, said Burt.
Public representatives are usually members or employees of humane societies or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, according to the CCAC.
All aspects of animal research at Canadian Universities are overseen by the CCAC, which is comprised of 24 scientific and government and non-governmental organizations, including the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.
The university’s guiding principles for animal research as the “Three Rs,” replacement, reduction and refinement, said Burt.
“Investigators carefully design research projects and continually refine procedures to reduce the number of animals used and replace them, where possible, with non-animal methods,” she said.
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