5. EUROPEAN LEGISLATION ON ANIMAL
5.10 Finnish Legislation
The Statute on Animal Experimentation requires that institutions involved in research and animal experimentation dispose of a Committee for Animal Experimentation. Experiments causing severe distress or pain need a special approval of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Finnish legislation on animal protection and experimental work on vertebrates consists of the following laws and acts27:
1. Law On Animal Protection, Eläinsuojelulaki 247/1996 2. Act On Animal Protection, Eläinsuojeluasetus 396/1996 3. Act On Animal Experimentation, Asetus koe-eläintoiminnasta
1076/1985. This is partly changed by act 395/1996. Current Finnish legislation dates from 1986 with the Act on animal experimentation “Asetus koe-eläintoiminnasta 1076/1985” and agrees with the European Council Directive on the protection of vertebrates. It aims to ensure that the number of animals used on experimentation is reduced to a minimum, that such animals are properly cared and that no pain or suffering is inflicted unnecessarily. Its main characteristics are (Lahteensmaki, 1987):
a) The requirement for an establishment license (form the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) for the practice of animal experimentation.
b) Required qualification for those who perform animal experimentation; those having completed an applicable university examination and participated to a course approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry concerning the use of animals in scientific research are in principle allowed to perform animal experiments.
Every establishment performing experiments on animals must have at least one person who has the required qualifications for carrying out the
27 Marine Research Institute, http://www.hafro.is/index_eng.php
European Legislation 75 experiments.
c) A research project and an application for a licence permitting animal experimentation; for each test on vertebrates, a plan of the experiment must be written down and submitted to the local Committee for animal experimentation. The application must include a description of: 1) the purpose of the experiment, 2) the experimental procedure, 3) the degree of pain involved, 4) the painkiller used, and 5) the estimated number of animals involved.
d) According to the degree of pain inflicted to animals, experiments are divided into two classes: 1) painful and irreversible experiments on animals, such as the administration of poisonous compounds; and 2) less painful procedures, such as the taking of blood sample.
e) Establishments performing animal experimentation must form a Committee for animal experimentation, which decides if the experiment belongs to the first or the second class. The Committee can grant a permission to carry out the second class of experiments, but can only make a statement about the first class of experiments, leaving thus the decision to the Country Government.
f) Decree of Veterinary Division in Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture on classification of animal experiments, Maa- ja metsätalousministeriön päätös tieteellisten eläinkokeiden luokituksesta 447/1986 g) Introductory Act On European Convention For The
Protection Of Vertebrate Animals Used For Experimental And Other Scientific Purposes, Asetus kokeellisiin ja muihin tieteellisiin tarkoituksiin käytettävien selkärankaisten eläinten suojelemiseksi tehdyn eurooppalaisen yleissopimuksen voimaansaattamisesta 1360/1990.
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5. 11 Animal research in psychology
According to the American Psychologist Association (APA), the most authoritative association of psychologists, about 7-8% of psychological research involves the use of animals (The American Psychological Association, n.d.). Since Charles Darwin's work emphasizing continuity in evolution from animals to people in their mental and physical characteristics, psychologists have researched on animals when time requirements, risk, the need to control behavioural history or other practical and ethical reasons make it impossible to use humans.
Behavioural research has contributed to the understanding of the basic principles underlying behaviour and of the relationships among anatomy, physiology and behaviour.
The Committee on Animal Research and Ethics (CARE) is the APA's committee charged with the ethical analysis of the use of animals in psychological research. The Committee aims to enhance public support for research with animals. The Committee has developed the Guidelines for ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Animals28, stating the appropriate ways of acquisition, care, housing and use of animals.
Psychologists should conduct their research in agreement with the relevant laws and with ethical concerns as well. The document describes the requirements for:
1. The justification of the research; before undertaking a research with animals, psychologists should reasonably expect the research will a) increase the knowledge of behaviour, b) increase understanding of the species under study, c) provide results that benefit the welfare of humans or other animals. The use of alternative methods is encouraged.
2. The personnel; the psychologists should ensure that the
European Legislation 77 3. The care and housing of animals; the facilities housing animals
should meet or exceed current legislation in the field.
4. Acquisition of animals; animals not bred in the psychologist's facility should be acquired lawfully and much attention should be paid to the animal well-being during transportation.
5. Experimental procedures; behavioural studies are encouraged and, among them, those that minimize the discomfort for the animals should be preferred. Euthanasia procedure should be performed as soon as an animal is observed to be in a state of severe distress or chronic pain.
6. Field research, because of its potential to damage sensitive ecosystems, should be subjected to Animal Care Committee approval.
7. Educational use of animals; the psychologists are encouraged to include instruction and discussion of the ethics and values of animal research in courses.
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