SIR – The latest government statistics show that more than four million animals were used in experiments in the UK during 2012 – equivalent to more than 11,000 experiments every day.

It is unacceptable that millions of animals continue to suffer and die in UK laboratories, including 3,214 dogs, 202 cats, 2,186 monkeys, 10,538 rabbits, 191 horses, 500,056 fish and 152,359 birds.

The UK should be leading the way in reducing animal testing, yet we remain one of the world’s largest users of animals in experiments.

MICHELLE THEW

Chief executive, British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV)