Has the UK government called time on animal testing?

27th November 2025

Yesterday, the UK government published its strategy for phasing out animal testing.

It’s ambitious, there are specific, dated targets, and it could end the suffering of thousands of animals used in animal testing in the UK each and every year.

It’s a strategy that we have all been waiting for for years.

It’s a plan that no other UK government has dared to commit to, let alone publish.

It’s a strategy we, at Naturewatch Foundation, cautiously welcome. It is progress.

The headlines:

These quotes from the strategy document are ones we have highlighted:

• ‘…we will not accept a slow pace of change when scientific and technical advances mean that a faster transition away from animal use is possible.’

We are pleased to see that the acceleration of alternatives is a focus.

• ‘Provide foundational training for early career researchers in alternative methods. By the end of 2026, we will aim to offer 3Rs training to all PhD students and early career scientists.’

Early exposure and incentives to learn, accept, and practice alternative approaches are vital to the success of this phasing out of animal testing.

• ‘We will establish a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM)’

The acceleration of the validation (approval to use) of alternative methods has been a barrier for many years. This establishment, with proper funding, could launch alternatives to animal testing faster than ever before.

• ‘We will publish regulatory agency-accepted alternative methods and priorities for future development and validation. ’ This will start in 2026 and be published every 2 years.

We should all know what alternatives are validated and available to be able to hold the government and the science industry to account for the use of animals, where there are alternatives. We will be on this!

• On restarting the survey on public attitudes to animal research, ‘We will restart the survey in 2026 and run it every 2 years…understanding of public opinion on the use of animals in science’

We listen to you, our supporters, but does the government? They have committed to reopening their 2-year surveys to hear YOUR thoughts on the use of animal testing.

Going forward

After a stakeholder meeting yesterday with the Home Office’s Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU), I have hope. Rarely do we see such ‘bold’ targets from a government, but I applaud them for showing commitment to their manifesto promise, ‘We will partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing.’

My job is to understand what the public, our supporters, want to see happen with animal testing in the UK and work with other organisations and the government to project YOUR thoughts, influence change, and hold them accountable.

I want to reiterate my and Naturewatch Foundation’s commitment to ending the use of animals in science and to you. We stand strong, and with your support, animals will no longer suffer in the name of ineffective science. Animals deserve love, not laboratories.

Kate

Campaign Manager, Animal Experiments