More than 2.54 million animal experiments were carried out in Great Britain in 2025, down just 3.8% on the previous year. Use of "specially protected" species, dogs, cats, horses and monkeys, rose by 7%. The figures haven't gone unnoticed in Westminster. MP Lee Pitcher raised the figures in the Commons, referencing Herbie's Law directly, while minister Sarah Jones pointed to the government's £75 million strategy to accelerate change.

Dr Fiona Saunders from the University of Aberdeen's Animal Replacement Centre of Excellence joins to talk about her work replacing foetal bovine serum (FBS) in breast cancer research. FBS has been a laboratory staple for decades, but it comes with ethical costs and scientific ones too, its batch-to-batch variability makes experiments harder to reproduce. Fiona explains why swapping it out is trickier than it sounds, and how her team's work could help labs worldwide make the switch.

Myth Buster

Dogs, cats, monkeys and horses are protected from use in experiments in Britain.

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Carla and Dr Gemma Davies dig into the growing political and scientific momentum behind ending animal testing, both in the UK and around the world.

At the heart of this episode is Herbie's Law, Animal Free Research UK's proposed legislation to create a clear roadmap for phasing out animal experiments. Director of Public Affairs Isabel Martin shares how support continues to build in Parliament, with backing from MPs across multiple parties and the campaign regularly raised in debates across both the House of Commons and House of Lords. The team also pauses to mark one year since the loss of Herbie, the dog whose story started it all.

The episode takes a global view too, with the UK, United States and European Union all having published major strategies over the past year to reduce and replace animal testing. While each takes a different approach, all point in the same direction. The team welcomes the progress but is clear: none go far enough, and a firm legal commitment is still needed.

World Animal Free Research Day also gets a mention, with a brilliant wave of support from campaigners, parliamentarians and public figures including Pete Wicks, Will Young, Kirsty Gallagher and Rankin.

Myth Buster

A change in prime minister could mean a change to the Government’s strategy to phase out animal testing.

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Hosts Carla and Dr Gemma Davis are joined by TV broadcaster and animal welfare advocate Kirsty Gallacher to mark World Animal Free Research Day 2026.

The team digs into Kirsty's passion for animal welfare, the growing public awareness around the use of animals in lab testing, and why sustained campaigning and the power of a platform matter more than ever. Gemma adds a scientific reality check, highlighting that despite decades of animal research, many diseases still have no cure and the case for human-relevant research methods has never been stronger.

There is also some exciting news: Animal Free Research UK has launched its third Animal Replacement Centre of Excellence at the University of Aberdeen, focusing on breast cancer research. Plus, a brand new t-shirt has landed in the shop, modelled by Kirsty and fellow celebrity supporters to celebrate the day.

Myth Buster
Alternatives to animal testing are new technologies that have only emerged in the last couple of decades.

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Thanks for listening! Make sure you leave a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.

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