Animal Concern has launched a report titled ‘Scottish Universities Animal Welfare Prospectus’, which includes statistics and facts relating to animal testing carried out by Scottish universities. With prospective university students facing the task of choosing which university to study at for the next 3 to 5 years, it is worth taking into account which universities test on animals and how many animals are affected by vivisection carried out by our educational institutions. Animals tested on by Scottish universities include dogs, horses, mice, rats, fish, cattle, deer, pigs, sheep, and birds.

The report reveals that animal testing is still routinely carried out in public institutions across Scotland, with the capital homing the universities that carry out the most and the least testing: in 2025 alone, the University of Edinburgh carried out 131,103 procedures on animals; conversely Edinburgh Napier University does not conduct any animal testing at all.

Featuring the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Aberdeen, University of Stirling, University of Dundee, University of St Andrews, Robert Gordon University, University of Strathclyde, Edinburgh Napier University, and Heriot-Watt University, the report is comprehensive, exposing animal testing figures at Scotland’s most popular universities.

Read the report in full here and see the statistics below.

Scottish Universities Animal Welfare Prospectus

University of Edinburgh

2024: 136,862 procedures carried out on animals

2025: 131,103 procedures carried out on animals

University of Glasgow

2024: 99,509 procedures carried out on animals

2025: 96,038 procedures carried out on animals

University of Aberdeen

2024: 6458 animals used in testing, with 50 unexpected deaths

2025: 8192 animals used in testing, with 28 unexpected deaths

University of Stirling

2024: 6599 animals used in testing, with 2 unexpected deaths

2025: 8673 animals used in testing, with 1 unexpected death

University of Dundee

2024: 18,950 procedures carried out on animals

2025: 16,367 procedures carried out on animals

University of St Andrews

2024: 7897 animals used in testing, with 3 unexpected deaths

2025: 3669 animals used in testing, with 9 unexpected deaths

Robert Gordon University

2024: 81 genetically-altered mice used in testing

2025: No animals used in testing

University of Strathclyde

2024: 2662 animals used in testing, with 1 rat dying unexpectedly

2025: 2355 animals used in testing, with 3 mice dying unexpectedly

Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University does not conduct animal testing

Heriot-Watt University

2024: No testing was conducted

2025: 405 frogs used in testing, with 22 dying during the procedure and all others euthanised after

Animal Concern publishes Scottish universities prospectus detailing animal testing statistics

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