Animal experimentation in teaching
Animals are used for teaching purposes at various institutes across the departments within Münster University, as part of practical courses and final examination work. The animals concerned are vertebrates such as mice, rats, guinea pigs or fish. In addition, students work with invertebrate species such as decapods or drosophila.
To a very large extent during basic training at the Faculty of Medicine, animal experimentation is not carried out. This means that basic medical studies can be completed without handling any animals. It is only later, during specialization, that animals are used for teaching purposes.
When teaching is being planned and carried out, the same principles apply as in animal experimentation in research: care is always taken to safeguard animal welfare, critically query the number of animals used and restrict them to a minimum, and, on principle, replace the use of animals whenever possible.
