In November 2025, the UK Government released its strategy to replace animals used in science. Yet official figures show experiments on dogs in Britain increased by 9% in 2025.
At the same time, the UK Government has acknowledged that "greater urgency" is needed to accelerate the phase out of animal testing.
Most of the 2,889 scientific procedures carried out on dogs in 2025 were for 'regulatory purposes'. Nearly 90% of these were for toxicity (and other safety) testing. These tests are used on animals to assess the safety of potential medicines and other chemicals.
This is despite the fact that animals are known to be unreliable, outdated models of human health and disease.
It is time for the Government to fulfil its commitments and focus on ensuring toxicity testing is safer, more effective and humane. And, crucially, that it does not involve animals.
We want a faster phase out for dogs used in toxicology, and their replacement with more reliable, non-animal methods.
Join us in asking your local MP to urge the Government to take dogs out of toxicity testing.