The following two charts show the breakdown and numbers of animals used in U.S. for research purposes in 2010.
Sources: Annual Report Animal Usage by Fiscal Year, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Inspection Service, July 2011.
Number of Animals
This chart shows which animals were used for research, testing, and educational purposes in the U.S. in 2010 in descending order of their quantities. As noted below, some of the numbers are estimates, and there are other limitations to the data.
| Animal | Number |
|---|---|
| Mice, Rats, Fish, and Birds | 25 million[*] |
| Guinea Pigs | 213,029 |
| Rabbits | 210,172 |
| Hamsters | 145,895 |
| Nonhuman primates | 71,317 |
| Dogs | 64,930 |
| Pigs | 53,260 |
| Other Farm Animals | 38,008 |
| Cats | 21,578 |
| Sheep | 13,271 |
| Marine Mammals | 126 |
| All Other Covered Species[**] | 303,107 |
| Total | 26 million[***] |
Sources: Annual Report Animal Usage by Fiscal Year, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Inspection Service, July 2011; Speaking of Research; The Humane Society, National Association for Biomedical Research
Footnotes (↵ returns to text)
- * This figure is based on estimates that mice, rats, fish, and birds make up about 96% percent of the estimated total number of animals used in research in the U.S. (26 million).↵
- ** This figure refers to warm-blooded animals, excluding birds, not otherwise listed.↵
- *** This figure is an estimate from several sources. The actual number of animals used in research in the United States is unknown.↵