Facts and figures

The following tables provide an overview of the species of animals, and their numbers, used for scientific purposes at Münster University from 2019 up to 2023. This is broken down into the total number of laboratory animals used for scientific purposes and the total number of animals killed for scientific purposes.

 

Species of animals, and their numbers, used for scientific purposes from 2019 up to 2023 for comparison

The figures shown comprise only data relating to vertebrates and include the species, and their numbers, of animals which were used in accordance with § 7, Section 2 of the German Animal Welfare Act, as well as the species and numbers of animals killed for scientific purposes in accordance with § 4, Section 3 of the same Act. The data come from the Faculty of Medicine (Faculty 5), the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy (Faculty 12) and the Faculty of Biology (Faculty 13)

Numbers under §7

These include the species, and their numbers, of animals which were used as part of a project involving animal testing in accordance with § 7, Section 2 of the German Animal Welfare Act. The number includes all animals which were used as part of a notifiable project, or one requiring approval, which involved animal testing for scientific purposes. In the statutory report to be made annually on animal experimentation, the degree of suffering is recorded to which each individual animal was subjected through being used as part of a project involving animal testing. This degree of suffering can be “mild”, “moderate” or “severe” or, in the case of final experiments, be allocated to the category “No recovery of the vital functions”. The distinction from the killing of animals for scientific purposes in accordance with Section 4 (3) TierSchG is that interventions or treatments were carried out before the animal was killed for scientific purposes or a genetic phenotype is present.

Not all animals which were used as part of a project involving animal testing in accordance with § 7, Section 2 of the Act were killed at the end of the experiment.

Numbers under §4

These include the species, and the numbers, of animals which were killed for scientific purposes in accordance with § 4, Section 3 of the Animal Welfare Act. This figure includes all animals killed for scientific purposes without prior intervention or treatment or without a genetically modified phenotype. This happens, for example, when organs or cell material need to be used for scientific purposes.

Numbers relating to animal testing vor 2019

Species Numbers under §7 Numbers under §4 Total number
Mice (Mus musculus) 19,889 15,425 35,314
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 391 368 759
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) 102 0 102
Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) 16 0 16
Sheep (Ovis aries) 26 0 26
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) 7,582 0 7,582
Other fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus/Three-spined stickleback) 700 0 700
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) 2 199 201
Marmosets and tamarins (e.g. Callithrix jacchus) 0 15 15
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) 0 0 0
Total 28,708 16,007 44,715

Numbers relating to animal testing for 2020

Species Numbers under §7 Numbers under §4 Total number
Mice (Mus musculus) 19,655 11,547 31,202
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 309 284 593
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) 155 0 155
Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) 19 0 19
Sheep (Ovis aries) 16 0 16
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) 9,540 0 9,540
Other fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus/Three-spined stickleback) 70 0 70
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) 2 117 119
Marmosets and tamarins (e.g. Callithrix jacchus) 0 15 15
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fasciclaris) 1 0 1
Total 29,767 11,963 41,730

Numbers relating to animal testing for 2021

Species Numbers under §7 Numbers under §4 Total number
Mice (Mus musculus) 15,939 14,186 30,125
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 1,034 203 1,237
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) 39 0 39
Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) 17 0 14
Sheep (Ovis aries) 0 0 0
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) 6,476 0 6,476
Other fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus/Three-spined stickleback) 36 0 36
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) 2 107 109
Marmosets and tamarins (e.g. Callithrix jacchus) 0 11 11
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fasciclaris) 4 0 4
Total 23,547 14,507 38,054

Numbers relating to animal testing for 2022

Due changes in the Animal Welfare Experimental Animal Reporting Ordinance, the statistical recording of laboratory animals has been adjusted.

Species Numbers under §7 Numbers under §4 Total number
Mice (Mus musculus) 13,223 32,573 45,796
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 1,643 442 2,085
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) 37 0 37
Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) 43 0 43
Sheep (Ovis aries) 0 0 0
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) 7,265 4,355 11,620
Other fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus/Three-spined stickleback) 55 0 55
Other fish (Astyanax mexicanus/Blind cave tetra) 42 0 42
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) 0 120 120
Marmosets and tamarins (e.g. Callithrix jacchus) 0 36 36
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fasciclaris) 1 0 1
Axolotl 0 2 2
Total 22,309 37,528 59,837

Numbers relating to animal testing for 2023

Species Numbers under §7 Numbers under §4 Total number
Mice (Mus musculus) 12,127 22,026 34,153
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 1,038 801 1,839
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) 113 0 113
Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) 25 0 25
Sheep (Ovis aries) 0 0 0
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) 3,616 501 4,117
Other fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus/Three-spined stickleback) 521 0 521
Other fish (Astyanax mexicanus/Blind cave tetra) 104 0 104
Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) 0 72 72
Marmosets and tamarins (e.g. Callithrix jacchus) 0 25 25
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fasciclaris) 0 0 0
Total 17,544 23,425 40,969

Graphics

The graphics show the species of animals used for scientific purposes at Münster University from 2019 up to 2023. They show the contents of the above tables.

© Stabstelle Arbeits- und Umweltschutz