366 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
tentially painful experimental animal use in Den- 
mark in 1983. Of those two species, 66 percent 
were used for toxicological testing. Nonhuman pri- 
mates and companion animals (dogs and cats) were 
used in less than 0.25 percent of the total experi- 
ments. Most dogs and cats were used in longer 
term procedures under anesthetic, from which 
they recovered. In painful procedures, primates 
were used most often in long-term procedures un- 
der anesthetic, but 56 percent were used for pur- 
poses exempt from the law (40), that is, nutrition 
studies or experiments involving only minor or 
transient pain. 
Federal Republic of Germany 
West Germany’s animal protection laws have 
been evolving since 1883, at which time anesthetics 
were required, if possible; experiments using ani- 
mals could be done by trained persons only; the 
number of animals and amount of distress were 
to be minimized; and greater protection was af- 
forded "higher" animals. Amendments in 1933 re- 
tained these requirements and added a licensing 
requirement for institutions using animals . In the 
1972 Animal Protection Act, licenses were also re- 
quired for individual scientists for each study (19). 
The Parliament is considering new legislation 
that would create an ethics commission of scien- 
tists and animal protectionists that would review 
detailed applications for each project involving ani- 
mals, require that each laboratory appoint an ani- 
mal welfare officer, and require that the Govern- 
ment identify alternatives and promote their use. 
Finally, Parliament is also considering a special tax, 
probably 5 to 25 percent of costs, on animal ex- 
periments as a means of providing additional in- 
centive to use alternatives (26,29). 
Although the law is national, it is administered 
by the States (Lander). In enforcing the law, States 
can use sanctions ranging from stopping an ex- 
periment and seizing the animals or revoking a 
permit, to imposing penalties of about $3,800 and 
up to 2 years’ imprisonment (24). 
The basic goal of the law is that no one shall be 
permitted to cause pain, suffering, or injury to ani- 
mals without acceptable reasons. Other provisions 
require that vertebrates not be used when inver- 
tebrates would suffice and that warm-blooded ver- 
tebrates not be used when cold-blooded ones 
would do. Further, experiments should be limited 
to the number absolutely necessary. 
Those desiring a permit must be affiliated with 
a university or otherwise conducting research, and 
they must provide detailed information to the per- 
mitting authorities in the Lander documenting that: 
• the desired results cannot be obtained by more 
humane methods; 
• the experiment is necessary for the preven- 
tion, diagnosis, or cure of diseases in humans 
or other animals or serves scientific purposes; 
• the director and deputy director of the ex- 
periment are reliable; 
• the necessary equipment, facilities, supplies, 
and personnel are available; and 
• proper care and medical treatment will be 
provided. 
Permits may be restricted or revoked if require- 
ments are not met by a specified time or if permit 
restrictions or regulations are not complied with. 
The permit contains the name of the director of 
the experiment and a deputy. 
Unlike Denmark and other countries discussed 
in this chapter, educational uses are permitted at 
the high school level and a permit is not required. 
However, such activities must be reported to the 
authorities before they take place. Other experi- 
ments that do not require permits are those that 
fulfill governmental requirements and those used 
for diagnostic purposes. 
I 
Several restrictions pertain to pain. An animal 
should not endure pain, suffering, or harm if avoid- 
able. Experiments on vertebrates may be per- 
formed only under anesthetic unless it is incom- 
patible with the purpose of the research or the 
pain connected with the operation is less than the 
damage inflicted by anesthesia. A painful opera- 
tion or treatment may be performed on an un- 
anesthetized animal only once unless the purpose 
of the experiment cannot otherwise be achieved; 
the animal may be used for another experiment 
only if the second experiment does not involve pain, 
suffering, or harm. After an experiment, certain 
species must be presented immediately to a veter- 
inarian, others to the experimenter, and killed pain 
lessly if the animal can live only in great pain. 
