What happens to animals once an experiment is completed?
The majority of animals under study must be euthanized in order to obtain tissue for pathological evaluation and for use in vitro tests. Euthanasia is the act of inducing a humane death. The American Veterinary Medical Association publishes euthanasia methods considered acceptable. Those animals involved in experiments that do not require tissue for pathological evaluation may take part in additional experiments. However, except in rare circumstances, federal regulations do not allow an animal to be used in more than one major surgical procedure.
