Animal Experiments at the RUG

At the RUG, animal experiments are carried out for purposes of research and education when there are no viable alternatives. According to the Law on Animal Experiments, all experiments should first be discussed with the Animal Welfare Body. A proposal for animal experiments should then be send to the Competent Authority (Centrale Commissie Dierproeven CCD). The CCD will then ask advice from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), if the CCD approves the experiment a permit will be granted to the RUG..

The experiments are conducted in laboratories or in the outdoors. To make sure the experiments are carried out optimally, the laboratories have special laboratory animal facilities and the researchers involved have received a specific training.

Furthermore, the RUG employs a laboratory animal science specialist, who can advise researchers about the optimal framework for research involving animals, and who supervises the treatment of the animals.