Animal testing, permission

In the case of animal experiments, a distinction is made between experimental projects subject to authorisation and those subject to notification.

You need a permit if you want to

1. preventing, detecting or treating disease, suffering, bodily injury or physical ailment or recognizing or influencing physiological conditions or functions in humans or animals,
2. Identification of environmental hazards,
3. Testing of substances or products for their safety for human or animal health or for their efficacy against animal pests or for the
4. Basic research
   want to carry out essential animal experiments.

You need to be notified for test projects,

1. the implementation of which is expressly
   • required by law, regulation or pharmacopoeia or by a directly applicable act of an institution of the European Communities,
   • provided for in a general administrative provision issued by the Federal Government or a Federal Ministry with the consent of the Bundesrat in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act (Paragraph 7(2) and (3)), or
   • ordered by a judge or authority pursuant to a law or regulation or a directly applicable act of an institution of the European Communities, or required in individual cases as a condition for the adoption of an administrative act;
2. which are carried out on animals as vaccinations, blood samples or other diagnostic measures according to already proven methods, and
   • the detection in particular of diseases, suffering, bodily injury or physical complaints in humans or animals, or
   • are used to test serums, blood preparations, vaccines, antigens or test allergens as part of approval procedures or batch tests.

Note 1:
If it is intended to carry out several similar experimental projects, notification of the first test project shall suffice if the notification also indicates the probable number of experimental projects. At the end of each year, the competent authority shall be informed of the number of experimental projects carried out and, in the case of vertebrate animals, of the species and number of animals used.

Note 2:
In the case of animal experiments on protected animals, there is also a reporting obligation with proof of origin.

Contact the regional council in whose area of responsibility your company is located.
In the case of protected animals, both the veterinarian and the species protection department of the regional council must be informed.

Hint: If permission is requested for a legal entity (e.g. GmbH, Limited, cooperative, AG) or a partnership (e.g. GbR), the information and proof of the person must be provided by each authorized representative (e.g. managing director, CEO, director, etc.).

• § 8 Abs. 1 - 6 TierSchG
• § 8 a TierSchG; § 8 Abs. 7 TierSchG
• General administrative regulation for the implementation of the Animal Welfare Act
• Obligation to report species protection: § 7 Federal Species Protection Ordinance