Research sheet Susi: Finally freedom after months in the dark!

Research sheet Susi: Finally freedom after months in the dark!

Wien, Österreich - On April 11, 2025, the research sheet Susi experienced a remarkable turning point in her life. After several months that she spent in a dark basement of a research laboratory in Vienna, she was released into freedom in the Assisi-Hof in Stockerau and was able to enjoy sunlight and fresh grass for the first time. Susi was not a typical test animal, since no medical interventions were carried out on her, but rather served as a "side-up" to reduce stress among other sheep that were used for medical tests and to prevent social isolation, such as vienna.at reported.

Alfred Kofler, the head of animal care at the Assisi-Hof, was pleased with Susi's arrival and described the pleasant new environment in which she can now develop. Sheep has been accompanying people for about 8,000 years, both as farm animals and in medical research. Sheep became particularly well known by Dolly, the first successfully cloned mammal, which was born in 1996. Due to their anatomical and physiological similarities to humans, sheep are important in research on the development of implants and for various diseases.

The role of animal experiments

The situation of Susi throws a light on the complex debate about animal experiments, which are often necessary for medical and scientific progress. Animal experiments with monkeys in particular are criticized, but are of great importance in order to clarify basic questions about the function of the healthy organism and to better understand diseases. Monkeys are mainly used for security tests of medication before they are tested on humans, such as tieruch-ver stands.de noted.

An outstanding example of the success of this research is the development of a vaccine against the polio virus. In addition, animal experiments are used in various areas, including neurosciences. Here monkeys are used to research complex diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Thanks to this research, progress in the development of neuroprostheses and therapy approaches such as deep brain stimulation.

ethical aspects and regulations

The ethical challenges associated with animal experiments require a careful weighing process. Approval for animal experiments must be requested from the responsible authorities that examine the need and ethical aspects of the project. An animal welfare commission supports these applications made of veterinarians, doctors, scientists and animal welfare representatives. In Europe, animal experiments for the development of weapons, cosmetics and tobacco products are prohibited, and in Germany there are strict regulations for animal experiments on primates, including detailed documentation about their origin and attitude.

Overall, only about 0.1% of all test animals in Germany (2016) are affected, which are mainly used for industrial purposes. Nevertheless, the public discussion about dealing with test animals and the associated ethical considerations remains a central topic, especially with regard to its benefits and the stress of animals.