Animal Testing Statistics

• 100’s of millions of animal tests are performed each year
• China and the USA are the worst proponents of animal testing
• The EU has had a cosmetic testing ban in place since 2013

Animal Testing Facts and Statistics Overview

The number of animals used in unnecessary, cruel testing continues to be extraordinary. 

Whilst the exact figures are difficult to come by – understandable when you consider the negative PR countries and companies know they’ll receive – it’s important to us that we shed a light on industries that continue to profit from such vile practices.

Particularly ones like cosmetics – vanity industries where there’s absolutely no need to test any product on animals. That’s why we shine a light on so many wonderful cruelty-free companies – that we’ve tested, trust and thoroughly recommend. 

Top 11 Most Frightening Animal Testing Facts and Statistics

1. It is estimated that the USA performs well over 100 million tests on animal each year

Because America’s Animal Welfare Act (AWA) doesn’t include the animals that are primarily used for testing – rats, mice and fish – the figures are wildly underestimated. The latest figures accounted for 780,070 tests. Whereas the number is more likely around the 115 million mark.

2. Just over 20% of the world’s countries have cosmetic national testing bans in place

41 countries have completely banned cosmetic testing on animals – this includes all of the EU – whilst another 17 are working on it. 

3. Animal testing in Australia increased by 148% between 2015 – 2017

Whilst Australia has recently implemented a national cosmetic testing ban, Queensland recorded over 12 million tests on domestic fowl in 2017 without a specified purpose.

You can find out more about animal testing in Australia here.

4. More than 90% of compounds tested on animals fail to enter the market

More recent studies estimate animal testing has a 96% failure rate as it’s predictability has reduced.

5. Some animal tests take years to complete and cost multiple millions of dollars

Rodent cancer studies are particularly expensive and time-consuming. They can cost $2 – 4 million per two-species lifetime study.

6. There are 50 validated and – in part – accepted alternatives to animal testing

Typically alternatives to animal testing are incredibly effective at reducing the number of animals used as they’re more cost and time-efficient. In some cases they can be 97% more cost effective (see rat 24 month bioassay vs Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cell transformation test).

7. The USA spend almost $20 billion of taxpayers money every year on animal testing

47% of the NIH’s budget for all testing projects in the USA is spent on funding animal testing. 

8. 84,100 animals died in the UK in 2019 as a result of animal testing

9. Almost 700,000 animals died across the EU in 2017 as a result of animal testing

Of the 10,664,752 procedures performed on animals across the EU in 2017, 6.4% were non-recoverable and a further 10.7% (1.14 million) were classes as ‘severe.’

10. 100% of HIV vaccines that passed animal tests failed in humans

Of the almost 100 HIV vaccines that passed animal tests, none of them proved successful in human trials.

After HIV vaccine gp120 failed in clinical trials, a BMJ article distinguished how the important differences between NHPs (non-human primates) and humans had led researchers down a doomed path. 

11. 79% of people say they would switch if they found out a brand tested products on animals

Yet still brands continue to go down this route – Source: BUAV Poll

How Many Animals are Tested on each year Globally?

Ultimately 100’s of millions of animals are tested on each year. 

The worst proponents of animal testing are China, The USA, Australia and Japan. Significantly. It is likely these four countries make up over 50% of all tests on animals across the world. 

Number of Animal Tests Performed by Country

The 9 Countries that perform the most Tests on Animals each year

How Many Countries Have Animal Testing Bans in Place?

There are 40 Countries with National Cosmetic Testing Bans in place as of 2021. Which is 20.5% of the world’s nations.

Then there are a further 17 countries working on implementing bans – another 8.7%. What complicates the issue are countries like Brazil and The USA where there are partial bans in place. And we mean partial.

In Brazil, only 6 of the 26 states have approved a ban for cosmetic animal testing. And the USA is even worse. In America, only 5 states have banned cosmetic animal testing.

Countries like Canada still don’t have any bans on cosmetic animal testing.

Animal Testing Statistics in the UK

Testing cosmetic products and their ingredients on animals was banned in the UK in 1998 as part of EU Regulation 1223/2009 (cosmetics regulation).

The ban was created because non-animal methods were developed to test the safety of the cosmetics AND vanity products cannot be classed in the same bracket as testing on legitimate medical products. 

You can read more about the UK’s animal testing policy here. 

See how the European Cosmetics Directive defines a cosmetic or vanity product:

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“Any substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odours and/or protecting them or keeping them in good condition.”

— European Cosmetics Directive

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4 Major Animal Testing Facts and Statistics in the UK

Every year the UK government publishes a report on the scientific procedures that occur on living animals.

This gives us the opportunity to analyse the current state of play in our own country and to see how animal testing has developed over the years.

1. 3,400,000 Procedures on animals in 2019
2. 86% of the animals were mice, fish and rats
3. 16,100 Personal licenses handed out to test on animals
4. 84,100 Animals died as a result

Now, there are three licences required by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 before testing on animals is allowed. The 3 licences needed are:

1. A personal licence for each person carrying out procedures on animals
2. A project licence for the programme of work
3. An establishment licence for the place at which the work is carried out

So whilst the number of tests are reducing slowly across the UK, the number of applications for personal licenses is, at best, concerning. 

Animal Testing Facts and Statistics in The EU

• The UK runs the most tests on animals in the EU, followed by France and Germany
• 6.4% of all animal tests were non-recoverable – the subject died
• In 2017 there were over 10 million tests on animals in the EU

Since 2013 the EU has implemented a ban on cosmetic animal testing. 

However there are still millions of animals born specifically for testing each year and – between 2013 and 2017 – the number of authorised projects has increased by 176%.

And during this timeframe, the number of inspections – announced or unannounced – barely increased at all. As 70% of adults in EU countries agree that replacing animal testing with non-animal methods should be an EU priority, we will continue to 

4 Animal Testing Statistics in the EU

1. 10,664,752 Procedures on animals in 2017
2. 92% of the animals were mice, fish and rats
3. 6.4% of all tests performed were non-recoverable
4. 10.7% of all tests performed were classed as ‘severe’

What Animals were used for Animal Tests in the EU

In 2017, the main species used (for the first time) in research and testing in the EU were: mice, fish, rats and birds.

Which together represented 92% of the total number of animals while species of particular public concern (dogs, cats and non-human primates) represented less than 0.3% of the total number of animals. The same amount as amphibians, cephalopods and reptiles. 

But as the number of animal tests across the EU has increased by 16% between 2017 – 2020, we can apply the same increase to get estimates (albeit accurate estimates) for how many animals were used for the first time in 2020:

• Mice: 6.6 million
• Fish: 1.4 million
• Rats: 1.28 million
• Birds: 0.64 million

Animal Testing Facts and Statistics in The USA

• The USA arguably has the worst and least transparent animal testing policy
• The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) doesn’t cover mice, rats or fish – the most widely used animals in research
• Estimates put the number of animals used in animal testing at well over 100 million per year

1. 99% of animals involved in tests aren’t included in the Animal Welfare Act
2. $19.6 billion spent by the NIH on animal research and testing in 2020
3. 90% of animals aren’t included in official statistics
4. 7% of animals weren’t given any pain relief

In 2019, US government statistics put the number of laboratory animals used in research at 797,546, an increase of 2.2% from 2018. 

However, because these statistics do not include mice, rats, and fish- animals not covered by the Animal Welfare Act – they are wildly inaccurate. Estimates claim that the number of mice and rats alone is 111.5 million.

We have a more detailed breakdown on animal testing in the USA here.

Public Perception Statistics of Animal Testing

Americans…
Who oppose animal testing for scientific purposes
52%

Source: Pew Research

If a brand tested on animals…
79% Of people would switch

Source: BUAV Poll

In the UK…
38% Believe that cosmetic testing is legal

Source: Department for Energy, Business & Industrial Strategy – Public Attitudes to Animal Research

65% of the British Public can accept animal testing for medical research…
IF there’s no alternative

Source: Department for Energy, Business & Industrial Strategy – Public Attitudes to Animal Research

Those who believe that cosmetic testing on animals is permitted in the UK are just as likely as the rest of the public to say they can accept the use of animals in medical research. This context-driven nature of support for animal research needs to be well-documented.

If we’re all more aware of societal laws and in particular the ample number of alternatives to animal testing, we can move towards a kinder world that no longer supports animal testing in any forms. 

What % of Animal Tests are even ‘Successful?’

• A test could last up to 2 years and there could be 2,000 animals involved
• More than 90% of compounds entering clinical trials fail to gain regulatory approval
• Testing a single active pesticide ingredient takes a decade, costs approximately $71,000,000 and kills up to 8,000 animals to complete all of the animal studies required to register one single pesticide

For drug testing alone the average time to bring a product to market is 10-15 years.

With a current failure rate of 90% – 55% due to a lack of efficacy and 28% due to the toxic effects in humans – the need for more efficient, sustainable technologies in risk assessment over current paradigms is so blatant it’s difficult to comprehend how such barbaric processes are kept alive. 

What does the Future hold for Animal Testing?

It’s not all doom and gloom. There are some initiatives designed to reduce the number of animals involved in testing around the world. 

The Future of Animal Testing in The USA

EPA has moved away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals. A decision that hasn’t gone down well with numerous research groups and environmentalists.

The E.P.A. Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency plans to reduce the amount of studies that involve mammal testing by 30 percent by 2025, and to eliminate the studies entirely by 2035. 

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“We are really excited as this has been something we’ve wanted for quite some time…The alternatives are the future. They’re more efficient and save lives..”

— Kitty Block, President of the Humane Society of the USA

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The Future of Animal Testing in China

Even China, a country lambasted for it’s approach to animal testing, is looking at loosening steps regarding cosmetic testing on animals.

In July 2020 China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) began formulating new restrictions that are believed to lift the animal testing requirement. One that requires any cosmetic sold in the country to be tested on animals.

It’s the reason why companies that sell in China can never be labelled as cruelty-free. And why we’d never trust brands who trade their humane responsibility for some quick yen. 

Whilst it’s unclear exactly what is likely to happen, we’ll take any progress we can regarding China’s animal testing policies. 

The Future of Animal Testing in The EU

So whilst testing cosmetics on animals has been banned in the UK since 1998 and the EU ban on animal tested cosmetic products was first passed in 1993 – with the full ban taking effect in 2013 – there are still millions of animal tests that occur each year. 

10.9 million to be exact!

But according to data provided by Cruelty Free Europe, 70% of adults in EU countries agree that replacing animal testing with non-animal methods should be an EU priority. With such strong public backing, we’re confident that any non-essential animal testing will soon be made illegal across all EU states. 

Additional Sources

The Canadian Council on Animal Care

Recherche Animale Research Statistics

Humane Society International – South Korea

Laboratory Animal Statistics in Germany