64 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
Even with these limitations and qualifications, 
the numbers generated by the APHIS data pro- 
vide a range that can be used in discussions of ani- 
mal use. The totals include: 1.8 million mandated 
species, 100,000 to 500,000 birds, 100,000 to 
500,000 amphibians, 2.5 million to 4.0 million fish, 
and 12.2 million to 15.25 million mice and rats. 
Therefore, it appears that between 1 7 million 
and 22 million animals are used in United 
States laboratories annually. 
The largest group is represented by mice and 
rats. For reporting institutions, mice represent 60.8 
percent of all animals used, and rats 25.1 percent. 
In addition, for the mandated species, certain in- 
stitutions use specific species disproportionately 
to their percentage of overall total use (see table 
3-6). Fifty percent or more of all cats and dogs are 
used by universities and medical schools. Guinea 
pigs are used mostly by the pharmaceutical indus- 
try, whereas hamsters are used more often in bio- 
medical research, and to a lesser extent in univer- 
sities, medical schools, and the pharmaceutical 
firms. Sixty -two percent of rabbits are used in 
universities, medical schools, and the pharmaceu- 
tical industry, as are 75.6 percent of the primates. 
For rats and mice, the trends indicated in table 
3-6 are clouded by the fact that there was more 
reporting of rat and mouse usage in 1983 than in 
Table 3-6.— USDA/APHIS Data, Changes 1982-83 
(reporting institutions only) 
Institution type 
Universities 
& medical 
schools 
Hospitals 
nonuni- 
versity 
Bio- 
medical 
research 
Toxicology 
testing 
labs 
Chemical 
companies 
Pharmaceu- 
tical, device 
& diagnosis 
State & 
local 
government 
Food, feed 
& miscel- 
laneous 
Federal 
agencies 
Total 
Year 
Rats: 
1982 
1,079,208 
86,472 
343,915 
97,237 
176,874 
558,630 
11,299 
12,700 
359,479 
2,725,814 
1983 
1,234,864 
106,430 
406,936 
144,162 
114,215 
778,425 
30,378 
14,355 
439,729 
3,269,494 
% change 
14 
23 
18 
48 
-35 
39 
168 
13 
22 
19 
Mice: 
1982 
1,678,300 
203,768 
1,579,664 
431,464 
161,659 
1,669,629 
200,150 
6,247 
958,863 
6,889,744 
1983 
1,951,466 
222,080 
1,512,424 
495,067 
158,752 
2,021,157 
477,250 
3,632 
1,071,339 
7,913,167 
% change 
16 
8 
-4 
14 
- 1 
21 
138 
-41 
11 
14 
Dogs: 
1982 
98,983 
13,622 
22,291 
3,457 
2,194 
37,604 
322 
3,698 
12,696 
194,867 
1983 
90,001 
12,605 
21,483 
5,003 
1,591 
38,311 
436 
3,400 
9,595 
182,425 
% change 
-9 
-7 
-3 
44 
-27 
1 
35 
-8 
-24 
-6 
Cats: 
1982 
34,555 
2,716 
7,697 
137 
115 
9,073 
87 
2,040 
3,541 
59.961 
1983 
32,535 
2,265 
6,768 
172 
44 
8,624 
72 
2,092 
2,774 
55,346 
% change 
-5 
-16 
-12 
25 
-61 
-4 
-17 
2 
-21 
-7 
Guinea 
pigs: 
1982 
82,198 
6,104 
25,225 
35,145 
18,182 
272,405 
9,044 
1,504 
48,053 
497,860 
1983 
64,554 
7,195 
30,696 
28,753 
14,722 
297,849 
10,090 
930 
66,448 
521,237 
% change 
-21 
17 
21 
-18 
-19 
9 
11 
-38 
38 
4 
Hamsters: 
1982 
151,365 
5,501 
65,146 
12,954 
3,160 
131,227 
8,401 
23 
39,490 
417,267 
1983 
115,483 
5,472 
169,272 
11,922 
612 
112,618 
3,193 
22 
35,885 
454,479 
% change 
-23 
-0.5 
159 
-7 
-80 
- 14 
-61 
-4 
-9 
9 
Rabbits: 
1982 
173,716 
15,171 
63,863 
60,785 
20,970 
177,289 
2,102 
1,862 
31,554 
547,312 
1983 
158,058 
15,042 
64,626 
55,785 
22,034 
159,276 
1,948 
2,504 
29,779 
509,052 
% change 
-9 
-0.8 
1 
-8 
5 
-10 
-7 
34 
-5 
-6 
Primates: 
1982 
23,353 
557 
13,543 
2,577 
144 
7,709 
329 
66 
6,287 
54,565 
1983 
22,201 
1,059 
13,272 
5,809 
25 
9,376 
243 
82 
7,269 
59,336 
% change 
-4 
90 
-2 
125 
-82 
21 
-26 
24 
15 
8 
Institutions 
reporting: 
1982 
410 
129 
167 
79 
27 
145 
19 
26 
125 
1,127 
1983 
402 
140 
159 
86 
31 
155 
18 
32 
123 
1,146 
% change 
-2 
8 
-4 
8 
14 
6 
-5 
23 
-2 
2 
SOURCE: Office of Technology Assessment. 
