Five UK universities named over animal testing

Oxford tops a list of UK universities that tested on animals in 2014. According to Cruelty Free International, it experimented on 226,739 animals. In second place was the University of Edinburgh, which tested on 200,861.

Mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, amphibians and monkeys were among those used for research.

"The public will be shocked to learn that five of the UK's leading universities are responsible for testing on almost one million animals, despite an increasing number of universities recognising this isn't the way to do research," says Dr Katy Taylor, the director of science at the anti-vivisection organisation.

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"We urge them to leave this archaic practice behind and move towards developing innovative and humane research methods for the 21st century."

Universities account for close to half of all animal experiments taking place in the UK. Cruelty Free International named top five as being:

Oxford University (226,739 animals)

University of Edinburgh (200,861)

University College London (176,901)

King's College London (165,068)

Cambridge (160,557)

The report claims some of the monkey experiments involved food or water deprivation, electrodes implanted in their skulls or limbs and loud noises being blasted at them while in their cages.

In a statement, the Oxford University said: "Each trial is designed to minimise the number of animals used." It added that animal care was provided around the clock and that "no procedure using animals should be undertaken lightly".

The research shines a light on vaccine development and the effects of heart disease, malaria and Alzheimer's disease, among others, continued the statement.

That was echoed by the University of Edinburgh, which said that "a small proportion of our research involves the use of animals as a vital component of the quest to advance medical, biological and veterinary science".

The other universities also said animal research played an "essential role" in developing major research breakthroughs in health and medicine.