Animal use in education and animal-free methods
Anyone wishing to become a biologist, biology teacher, physician, or veterinarian will encounter animal experiments—or so-called “animal use”—at most German universities right at the beginning of their studies. This refers to the use of animals killed specifically for educational purposes or parts of them. Animal dissections and classes involving organ specimens, as well as experiments on live animals, are meant to teach students the basic structures and functions of animal organs.
For example, in zoology labs, rats, snails, insects, and other animals are killed and dissected to study the anatomy of their organs. Animal experiments are particularly common in physiology, especially the infamous “frog experiments.” Frogs are decapitated and their organs—such as nerves, muscles, or the heart—are removed. Even when separated from the body, these organs react to stimuli like electric shocks or drugs. Since Italian physician Aloysius Galvani first described electrical stimulation of frog muscles in 1780, generations of students around the world have repeated this experiment on millions of frogs.
A matter of conscience
The Hippocratic Oath, which fully applies to physicians, obligates them to preserve all life. Most veterinary students choose the profession to heal animals and alleviate suffering. The motivation to study biology often stems from a fascination with nature and all its life forms. But right at the start of their studies, students are forced to go against the fundamental principle of respect for life by being required to participate in harmful animal use. Those who conscientiously object often cannot successfully complete their studies.
Animal-free teaching methods
Today, there is an overwhelming amount of modern, animal-free teaching materials that allow teaching content to be presented in a memorable, educationally effective, and ethically acceptable way. For example, the InterNICHE database lists more than 1,200 films, computer programs, simulators, models, and more.
Video demonstrations
Videos of experiments or demonstrations can be projected on a large screen so that all students can clearly see. Important sections can be shown repeatedly in close-up or slow motion and explained in detail.
Computer simulations
Modern software can realistically simulate physiological phenomena. Many programs are highly interactive and require active participation from students, which enhances memorability. These simulations are available not only for physiological experiments but also for dissections, pharmacological experiments, and more.
Self-experiments
Physiological concepts can also be learned through harmless self-experiments. This increases memorability significantly. For example, muscle currents and mechanics can be measured using myographic methods on a student’s arm instead of on a frog muscle.
Ethically sourced animals
It is absolutely unnecessary to kill animals for anatomical studies. After all, human medical students don’t kill people for anatomy classes. Veterinary clinics and practices often have animals that died naturally or were euthanized for medical reasons, which can be used instead. For biology students, dead insects, earthworms, etc., found in nature can be used.
Plastination and models
Plastination is a technique that preserves organs or entire animals in a rubbery, long-lasting state without altering their shape or color. Plastic models of animals and organs help illustrate anatomy. Silicone models can be used to practice injections, blood draws, surgical procedures, and more.
Simulators
With tools like "Traumaman" and similar simulators, emergency scenarios can be practiced. The "patient" breathes, has a heartbeat and pulse, bleeds, and reacts to treatments. For veterinary training, there are equivalent models like “Alberta” the dog dummy by the U.S. company SynDaver. Veterinary students can practice everything from intubation to neutering, tumor removal, and bone surgery.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality for surgeons works like a flight simulator for pilots. It offers real-time simulation using footage from actual surgeries combined with haptic feedback—meaning the surgeon feels when instruments touch, cut, or manipulate tissue. The program translates this tactile input into visual feedback using an extensive video database.
Learning on live patients
Veterinary students can learn diagnostic and treatment procedures (like ECGs, vein punctures, reflex testing, etc.) on animal patients—just as medical students do with human patients. Both veterinary and medical students learn surgical procedures by first training on simulators, then assisting experienced surgeons, and eventually performing surgeries themselves under supervision.
Legal situation
According to § 7 of the German Animal Welfare Act (TierSchG), experiments for educational and training purposes are classified as animal experiments. This includes all animals, even snails, earthworms, insects, and other invertebrates. According to § 7a (2), it must be evaluated whether the intended purpose can be achieved using alternative methods. Theoretically, this means that all university offering animal-based classes are regularly violating the law, since the goal can clearly be achieved by other means. However, because academic freedom is constitutionally protected and ranked above animal welfare laws, this legal requirement is undermined—giving University teachers virtually free rein. Though animal welfare is also part of the constitution, animals cannot bring legal claims themselves, so this breach of law remains unchallenged in court.
Exemptions in some Federal States
Students in some German states (Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia) can be exempted from harmful animal use under their respective higher education laws.
Why does animal use persist in higher education?
The main reason for the continued, often rigid adherence to these long-standing practices is less about effective knowledge transfer and more about socializing students into a specific mindset. For many university teachers, the issue is not just about animal use in teaching, but about defending animal experimentation itself. Future doctors and scientists are expected to accept animal experiments as a natural part of their profession’s methodology. Critical thinking is not encouraged.
Student Resistance
Despite risking their academic careers, students have resisted animal experiments since they were first introduced. Thanks to years of persistent protest by students, many positive changes have occurred in German universities over the past decades. Today, many medical schools in Germany allow for animal-free study. Alongside numerous protests, students have also repeatedly taken legal action to be exempted from animal use in their study. So far, only two human medicine students have won such cases. One biology student even went to the Federal Constitutional Court. Although the court ruled against her, it did not dismiss the fundamental right of students to pursue an animal-free education.
Eastern Europe Project
While many German universities still lack the will to change, in some other countries the issue is simply lack of information and funding. Many university teachers in countries like Ukraine are open to modern, computer-based teaching methods. The Eastern Europe Project by the organization “Doctors Against Animal Experiments” helps interested professors switch to animal-free teaching methods. In this way, animal lives can be saved with relatively little effort.
Further information
Doctors Against Animal Experiments