The list of animals who can be used in experiments was updated and was extended from nine species of animals to 12. The law was published in the Januarys 5 issue of the Official Gazette and thus took effect today, IPN reports.

Quails were excluded from the list, while Chinese hamsters, Mongolian gerbils, amphibians and zebrafish were added to it.

Experiments on animals can be done to test the quality of medicines, food products, food for animals, for environment protection and research for conserving and rehabilitating the stock, in universities and for professional training and in medical-legal examinations.

The animals cannot be subject to agricultural or veterinary experiments, studies in veterinary clinics for authorizing medicinal products or in animal breeding practices. The use of stray animals, non-domesticized animals from among domestic ones and animals without owners in experiments is banned.

The animals could be used in experiments only if they were grown for the purpose. The growers, providers and users must have appropriate installations and equipment that meet the conditions of sheltering animals of the given species and enable to conduct experiments efficiently and cause the minimum stress to animals.

An animal can be used in an experiment that implies pain, suffering or serve stress only once. The experiments are done under general or local amnesty and by using analgesics.

The bill was passed by Parliament in the final reading on October 19, 2017.