Atrocity and abundance of animal experimentation projects in France: the banality of everyday life

Every day in France, a multitude of animals are subjected to experiments. These projects may be linked to research (fundamental and applied), or to regulatory and toxicology testing.

The transition to animal-free science is massively supported by the French (Ipsos/One Voice poll, April 2023), by nearly 150 European scientists from 19 member states, by European elected representatives in 2010 and 2023, and by French parliamentarians*.

Thus, between April 10 and May 10, 2024, the following projects were published in the database listing projects authorized at European level:

Concerning monkeys :

• Blood and cerebrospinal fluid sampling: 400 monkeys used, of whom 80 will undergo procedures without awakening (i.e., slaughter at the end of the project).
• 72 monkeys will undergo surgery to implant a telemetry transmitter, blood samples, take medication and be placed in metabolism cages for over 6 days.
• Sampling, surgery, gavage treatment, brain stimulation, etc. 60 monkeys will be euthanized as a result of these invasive tests and surgical procedures, which make it impossible for them to survive further experiments.
• 1 to 3 neurosurgeries involving cranial electrodes, multiple samples and injections: 12 monkeys will be used, 4 of whom will be euthanized.

• Injection into the brain, followed by several surgeries to implant electrodes delivering different intensities of electric current into the brain. They will also undergo the administration of parkinsonian syndrome through daily intramuscular injections: 6 monkeys will be used and undergo pain of a severe degree of severity until euthanasia.

For dogs :

• Blood and cerebrospinal fluid sampling: 200 dogs will be used, of whom 40 will undergo procedures without awakening.

For rabbits :

• Tissue samples taken from 3,000 young rabbits, who are then slaughtered at weaning.

Concerning fish :

• Severe experimental infections: 13,680 fish will be euthanized.

Concerning rodents :

• Severe pain following spinal cord injury: 554 young mice euthanized.
• Ear or tail tissue sampling: 158,000 mice and 1,000 rats, some euthanized and others “reused” (number not specified).
• Biopsy and blood sampling: 79,950 mice, some euthanized and some reused.
• Administration of various compounds by gavage or other means, the mice will undergo stress and pain and be housed in metabolism cages: 50,600 of them will be put to death at the end of the procedures.
• Tumor transplants involving severe pain, inability to move, etc. 30,000 mice will be used and euthanized, 2,000 of them will undergo experiments of severe severity and the remaining 28,000 of moderate severity.
• Tumor implant insertion: 27,500 mice will be killed at the end of the operations in order to recover and analyze their tissues.
• Tumor cell transplantation: 20,500 mice will be euthanized, either during or at the end of the study.
• Injection, blood sampling and bone marrow harvesting, following which the 19,959 mice will be euthanized.
• Intracerebral injections generating pain and neurological disorders: of the 13,500 rodents used, 6,400 will undergo experiments of severe severity, the others of moderate severity. All will be killed at the end of the study.
• Auditory hyperexcitability is tested by means of sound exposure that can generate reflex epileptic seizures. Surgery and painful injections are expected: 15,385 mice will be used and then euthanized at the end of the procedures, as these animals “cannot be reused, replaced or adopted, being genetically modified organisms“. We have already asked the judge to prohibit a similar project.
• Administration of colitis generating intense pain and of severe severity: 10,000 mice and rats used, all to be euthanized.
• Cutting off the end of the tail: 8,500 mice will then be euthanized. “Animals that do not contain the mutation of interest or are too old (to be used for mating or included in a research protocol) or have not given birth to litters for 2 months will be euthanized, even if they show no signs of ill-being“.
• Surgery and implantation for adults and cerebral injection and substance injection that induce neurodegeneration in young mice, with severe pain and behavioral and dietary stress: 6,050 mice will be killed, 3,540 of whom will undergo procedures of severe severity.
• Heavy surgery resulting in hypothermia and motor disorders that prevent the animals from moving: 5,402 mice will be killed, 2,520 of whom will suffer severe pain.
• Bacterial infection resulting in severe pain: 5,160 mice will be euthanized.
• Heavy surgery to alter brain function, resulting in a risk of severe pain in some individuals: 3,374 rats will be put to death.
• Hypoxia for several days with severe pain: 2,475 mice will be euthanized.
• Administration of products that induce convulsions leading to death: 1,100 mice will be used and 1,000 of them will suffer severe pain.
• Inducing a stroke, which inflicts intense pain of severe severity: 1,000 mice will be euthanized.
• Amphetamine and anesthetic injections that induce severe pain: 360 mice will be killed.
• Lesion of the spinal cord causing paralysis for several weeks and severe pain: 25 rats will be euthanized.

We call on laboratories to systematically use alternative methods when they exist, as required by law. We also encourage professionals to train in animal-free testing methods. In addition, we urge our political representatives to vote in favor of much greater funding for research into alternative methods. Although the majority of them agree with this principle, it is now imperative to have real political will to make progress. Stagnation is a significant obstacle, and we need to adopt an innovative approach and invest more in this field.

The number of animals who are still victims of animal experimentation is colossal and their numbers are not decreasing, be they monkeys, dogs or any other species, despite the passage of legislation calling for a reduction.

To put an end to these methods, which have had their day, join us in calling for an end to animal experimentation, and write to the Minister of Higher Education and Research:

Download the standard letter (in French)

* Sources :

• Decree no. 2013-118 of February 1, 2013 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
• Order of February 1, 2013 setting the conditions for approval, layout and operation of establishments using, breeding or supplying animals used for scientific purposes and their controls.
• Order of February 1, 2013 relating to the ethical evaluation and authorization of projects involving the use of animals in experimental procedures.
• Order of February 1, 2013 setting the conditions for supplying certain animal species used for scientific purposes to approved user establishments.
• Order of February 1, 2013 relating to the acquisition and validation of skills of personnel from user establishments, breeders and suppliers of animals used for scientific purposes.