Animal experiments are required inter alia by the Act on Protection against Hazardous Substances (Gesetz zum Schutz vor gefährlichen Stoffen (ChemG)), in the Regulation on Medicinal Products (Verordnung über Medizinprodukte (MPV)), in the Plant Protection Act (Gesetz zum Schutz der Kulturpflanzen (PflSchG)) and in the Ordinance on Plant Protection Products (Verordnung über Pflanzenschutzmittel und Pflanzenschutzgeräte (PflSchMGV)).

According to figures from the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), 15.4 percent of test animals in 2004 were used on the basis of legal requirements.