The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) undertakes a wide variety of research, including some involving animals.

Research involving animals is well regulated in the UK and the RVC has a long-standing commitment to the welfare of animals in research environments. The College undertakes research to improve the welfare of experimental animals.

The RVC shares society’s desire to minimise the use of animal experimentation and increase the use of scientifically validated alternative methods that reduce, refine or replace the use of animal models. Nevertheless, animal experimentation remains a necessary part of the scientific discovery process and development of new medicines for veterinary and human clinical use.

Dogs, cats and other companion animals suffer from cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, joint disease and many other conditions. Research involving these and other species enables the development of new safe and effective veterinary medicines that improve the health and welfare of animals and humans worldwide.

Facts and Figures

See Facts and Figures for the latest reported data by the RVC on the number of animals that are used in research by species.

Case Studies

See Use of Animals in Research - Case Studies

Client-owned Animals

The RVC undertakes a large number of clinical studies involving veterinary patients who return to the care of their owners at the end of each procedure. See Research using Client-owned Animals.

RVC Policy

The RVC's policy on animals in research: RVC Policy.

RVC Statement on Research using Animals in Veterinary Schools

Why veterinary schools should be involved in research: RVC Statement on Animal Research.

Regulation and licences

The use of animals in experiments is regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA). Some of the research conducted at the RVC takes place under Home Office licences granted under the directions of ASPA. Many of the animals used under ASPA are purpose bred (e.g. mice and rats) but some of the research we do on clinical patients (mainly dogs, cats and horses) and on farms (mainly cattle) is done under Home Office licences so we can take samples from our patients with naturally occurring disease that are to advance our knowledge rather than for the benefit of diagnosis and treatment of that animal (which is a requirement if samples are to be taken under the Veterinary Surgeons Act). In this case the animals remain with their owner, who gives informed consent to the research samples being taken but always has the option of declining to allow their pet to be involved in the research.

Licence applications are scrutinised by the RVC’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB), which looks at the balance between potential harm to the animals involved in experiments and the benefits that are likely to accrue from the work. If the AWERB is happy that all steps have been taken to minimise the harm to the animals involved and that the benefits that are likely to result from the work justify this then the licence application is passed to the Home Office. The application is then subjected to further scrutiny before permission for the work is granted under the authority of the Home Secretary.

Openness on animal research

The RVC is a signatory to the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research. A core principle of this is that the institution is open about how it involves animals in research and why. As a leading veterinary school, the RVC makes advances in veterinary science that benefit our patients and other animals globally. Due to commonalities between species, veterinary research findings sometimes help advances in human medicine – just as advances in medical practice help advance veterinary science and practice.

Exceptional care of purpose bred research animals housed in our experimental facilities

As a leading provider of both first opinion and referral veterinary treatment, the RVC can deliver the best of care to those animals participating in research programmes. Appropriate socialisation is provided throughout research processes and animals are often rehomed after participation if the Named Veterinary Surgeon thinks this is in the best interests of the animal.

Animal-based research taking place at the RVC helps educate both undergraduate and postgraduate students in robust scientific methodologies and enables courses to be grounded in the most up-to-date knowledge. A firm grounding in evidence-based practice enables practitioners trained at the RVC to offer the most efficacious treatment to their patients after they graduate.