It’s become something of a tradition for the team here at Replacing Animal Research to meet ‘Blue Monday’ with a bit of a counter-offensive: our annual good news roundup.

We spend a lot of our time in the weeds, unpicking systems that don’t work and identifying where change is overdue. It is vital work, but it can be heavy. However, our entire mission is based on hope. We’ve always been an organisation fuelled by it, and taking the time to reflect on what’s going right helps to top up our collective reserves.

Here are a few stories that have given us heart this January.

Phase-out plan

Chosen by Jessie McConnell-Hellier –  Policy Officer

In November, we saw the Government publish their ‘Replacing animals in science’ strategy, which we had been eagerly awaiting since the first manifesto promise back in 2024.

The plan represents a solid commitment to phasing out the use of animals across research and testing in the UK, and we were very pleased to see specific commitments around funding, regulatory reform, training and guidance on Replacement, and targets on the phase-out of specific animal tests. There are still several areas that we would like more details on, and areas that we believe should be included that aren’t in this iteration of the plan, but we look forward to seeing the strategy develop over the coming year. You can read more about our thoughts on the strategy in one of our phase-out plan blog.

More non-animal opportunities for PhD students

Chosen by Amy Beale – Head of Programmes and Policy

I am pleased that replacing animals is starting to move up the training agenda for future bioscience researchers – in particular around PhD training. In 2025 we saw the first cohort of students begin their PhDs with the first UK based Organ-on-a-Chip Centre for Doctoral Training at the start of October and the UK Government’s Replacing animals in science strategy committed to ensuring that by the end of 2026 all PhD students and early career scientists working with animals or alternatives and backed by UKRI funding, would receive relevant training around the 3Rs – including replacement. This is great and we are absolutely ready to help and ensure this commitment is followed through robustly and ensure future scientists are equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop, find and use non-animal methods.

Our Replacement Checklist and progress in rewilding

Chosen by Catriona Sinclair – Head of Fundraising and Communications

Our Replacement Checklist being picked up across the world; it was amazing seeing it linked from Faunalytics and the Centre for the 3Rs in France.

I’m also very excited about Rewilding Scotland for a better future, the UK’s largest rewilding landscape!

The comeback of the beaver and protecting the seas

Chosen by Brittany Scott – Individual Giving Executive

The government approved a reintroduction plan for beavers at the beginning of the year, and more recently, a wild beaver was spotted in Norfolk.

And, for the first time ever, countries have agreed on legally binding rules to protect life on the high seas! It’s a huge win for ocean conservation and personally, I think it’s also really nice that so many countries are coming together to do so.

Hope in legislation and renewables

Chosen by Celean Camp – CEO

In general, good news for all life forms on the planet, renewables overtook coal in terms of energy production fuelled (pun intended) by China and this gives me hope! Renewables overtake coal as world’s biggest source of electricity – BBC News

On our mission, the recent cross-party ratification of the FDA Modernisation Act 3.0 was fantastic news How the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 Changes Drug Testing – LegalClarity. The Act was one of the first tipping points in my mind towards acceptance of non-animal methods in drug safety testing, and I believe it was likely influential in the UK government’s Replacing Animals in Science strategy.

Green lighting more nature

Chosen by Chrissy Elliot – Operations Manager

In exciting news, Buckinghamshire Council approved plans for a new 250-acre nature reserve in Aylesbury. It’s equivalent to 140 full-size football pitches and residents and visitors will be able to help with creating woodlands and wetlands.

Song-birds, song-birds, song-birds

Chosen by Lucinda Martin – Digital Engagement Manager

The fact that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth honestly keeps me up at night. It always seems to surprise people because there’s a fair amount of green, but it’s mostly empty fields with no real biodiversity.

But! 2025 had some actual hope! 14 different species, like Robins, Blue Tits, and Goldfinches, had huge breeding success. This is especially good because 2024 was not a good year for most bird’s mating season.

There are still way fewer adults than there should be because of the long-term decline caused by short-sighted and destructive land-use decisions. This one good year doesn’t change the overall trend, but it’s still worth celebrating. We just need to stop making the landscape so inhospitable and start rewilding properly so we can live alongside other animals like we’re meant to.

The phase-out plan and new nature reserves

Chosen by Juliet Dukes – Research Manager

Work-related: Hidden within the ‘Replacing Animals In Science’ Strategy is a promise to implement all recommendations of the Rawle Report by the end of next year.

This includes that Funders:

1. Identify and implement replacements by providing additional funding for alternatives and support for labs which have developed them to provide access to the technology and train others to use it
2. Use more targeted questions for applicants and reviewers to demonstrate that opportunities to replace animals have been properly explored
3. Are open about whether their expert review has explicitly considered whether replacements are available

These are all things we want and have been shouting about in our Replacement Checklist!

Outside of work: A new ‘Super’ National Nature Reserve has been established in my part of the world. Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve combines the existing Thursley NNR with 2,440ha of the surrounding landscape to make a bigger, better and more joined up area for nature to thrive in the South East of England. It’s a collaboration of 9 partners, including Surrey Wildlife Trust, RSPB, and the National Trust, in an area that’s home to all six native reptiles, Natterjack Toads, Nightjars and Dartford Warblers.

Bypassing the Gold Standard in Regulatory Toxicology

Chosen by Rita Seabra – ATLA Technical Editor

Chemicals 2.0 and Why We Need to Bypass the Gold Standard in Regulatory Toxicology proposes a way of redefining the animal ‘gold standard’ so that it becomes redundant and doesn’t stand in the way of progress in the field of toxicology. This is a really important issue, and it’s a way to get people talking about it.