Replacing Animal Research Impact report

Our mission, vision and values

Our vision is a world where no animal suffers for science

Our mission is to ensure scientists use non-animal approaches in biomedical research and testing.

We are brave, science-driven, supportive, collaborative, and optimistic. Above all, we love and respect animals.

The Statistics

Every year, over 100 million animals are used in science worldwide. The majority are bred specifically for research, some are captured from the wild, and a rising number are genetically altered animals. None of them lives a natural life.

In Great Britain alone, 2.64 million experiments took place in 2024, the lowest number since 2001. Compared with 2023, this is a 2% decrease. That may sound small, but it means 32,289 fewer procedures using animals. Each one of those numbers represents an animal that did not have to spend its life in a laboratory.

Every drop in numbers tells a story: scientists embracing human-relevant methods, funders supporting innovation, and organisations like ours driving momentum.

Progress is real, but there is still a long way to zero. Together, we can create a future where no animal suffers for science.

Our Progress

Reached over 60 animal-using institutions with our Replacement Checklist

Published our ‘Replacing Animal Research in Policy’ guide

Provided training or Replacement advice to three of the UK’s top ten animal-using universities

Supporting Research

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Shaping Policy

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Influencing education

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“Replacing Animal Research has been a highly-respected partner organisation for the RSPCA for many years. We share the same ultimate vision of replacing all animal experiments, along with an effective, evidence-based approach towards achieving this. We liaise regularly and can often join forces and support one another, particularly around the regulation of animal experiments and its interpretation and implementation. A joint communication from two credible and well-supported organisations, like Replacing Animal Research and the RSPCA, carries a great deal of weight and together we can make a real difference for lab animals.”

Penny Hawkins, Head of Animals in Science Department at the RSPCA