Monkeys are still being used for animal testing in German laboratories. In 2023 alone, 1,676 non-human primates had to suffer painful experiments and legally required tests while living behind bars. The German Animal Welfare Federation is calling for an end to animal testing and supports the Bundestag petition “Abolition of animal testing on monkeys,” initiated by Doctors Against Animal Testing and PETA Germany. By October 20, 2025, the petition must reach at least 30,000 signatures for the Bundestag's Petitions Committee to consider the matter. If the petition is approved, the federal government is obliged to respond.
"Primates are highly social, sensitive, and intelligent creatures. In laboratories, our closest relatives are locked in sterile cages and subjected to painful experiments. Almost all of the animals come from breeding farms in non-EU countries, which also capture animals from the wild. What is particularly dramatic is that the most commonly used species, the Javanese monkey, is now considered critically endangered," explains Jessica Rosolowski, specialist advisor for animal-free science at the German Animal Welfare Federation. “It is unjustifiable to accept the suffering and death of animals in order to obtain questionable data. And it is equally wrong to shift the suffering to other animal species such as pigs, as planned in the ‘NHPig’ project. Instead, all resources must be directed toward animal-free methods that are truly relevant to humans,” Rosolowski demands.
The petition “Abolition of Animal Testing on Monkeys", which is supported by several animal welfare organizations, calls on the German Bundestag to take the necessary steps to end animal testing on non-human primates. Funding for animal-free methods must be increased by at least 10 percent annually. The German Animal Welfare Federation is appealing to the public to stand up for the protection of animals and sign the petition. “Together, we can ensure that Germany finally takes responsibility and ends animal testing on primates,” says Rosolowski. The petition can be signed after a short registration process on the German Bundestag's petition page.
https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/petitionen/_2025/_08/_01/Petition_184681.nc.html
