Press release

Published: 12 January 2026

Pigeons suffer in agonizing and pointless animal experiments at Ruhr University Bochum

For decades, pigeons at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) have been suffering and dying in questionable experiments: they are compelled by hunger or thirst to perform tasks, holes are drilled into their skulls, electrodes are implanted, or substances are injected into their brains. Such experiments provide insights only into the pigeon brain, which differs fundamentally from the human brain. There is no benefit for people with diseases. Nevertheless, pigeon experiments, along with further animal experiments involving other species, have been conducted for years. The nationwide organization Doctors Against Animal Experiments (DAAE) criticizes the pigeon experiments at RUB and calls for a complete transition to animal-free research and teaching. To this end, DAAE has now launched a campaign, including an online petition.

At RUB, pigeons are used in various experiments and research areas. Through food deprivation (1–5) or water deprivation (6), the animals are forced to perform specific tasks, such as recognizing color stimuli or pecking at certain areas on a touchscreen. For the desired behavior, they receive small amounts of food or liquid as rewards (1–6). In addition, invasive procedures are carried out on their heads: holes are drilled into the skull (3,5–7), electrodes are implanted (3,5,6), or substances known as tracers are injected directly into the brain (7,8). The projects aim to investigate how pigeons process colors (6), how the two brain hemispheres act in conflict situations (1), or how neural circuits are structured in the pigeon brain (7).

“The results of experiments on pigeons say nothing about how the human brain works. This requires studies on humans and human model systems,” says Dr. Leah Haut, scientific advisor at DAAE. “These experiments are driven purely by curiosity and cannot be justified ethically or scientifically.” Research intended to benefit human health requires solid foundations, which are provided by work with human mini-organs, multi-organ-on-chip systems, or computer models based on human data — not through animal experiments.

At RUB, a broad range of human-based research is already being conducted without the use of animals. This includes EEG studies in everyday situations (9), MRI investigations of decision-making processes (10), and work with brain and lung organoids derived from human cells (11,12). Using these models, researchers study, for example, deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease and infections with SARS-CoV-2. Haut emphasizes: “These projects show that modern, meaningful methods are already a reality at RUB and are being used to address important questions.”

DAAE calls for these human-relevant developments at RUB to be further expanded, for pigeon experiments to be ended, and for a complete transition to animal-free research. In higher education and teaching as well, courses that currently use animals must be fully converted to animal-free teaching methods. In addition, human-based research methods such as organoids, organ-on-chip systems, and computer simulations must become an integral part of education so that students are introduced early to innovative and scientifically sound approaches and can apply them in practice.

In July and August 2025, DAAE contacted RUB with questions regarding animal experiments and human-based methods in research and teaching. To date, no responses to these questions have been received.

To lend weight to its demands, DAAE has just launched a campaign that citizens can easily support, among other ways, by taking part in an online action.

 References

1. Manns M. et al. Dynamics and development of interhemispheric conflict solving in pigeons. Scientific Reports 2025; 15(1): 1655
2. Wittek, N. et al. Hungry pigeons prefer sooner rare food over later likely food or faster information. Frontiers in Psychology 2024; 15: 1426434
3. Packheiser, J. et al. Trial-by-trial dynamics of reward prediction error-associated signals during extinction learning and renewal. Progress in Neurobiology 2021; 197: 101901
4. Alert, B. et al. Perceptual strategies of pigeons to detect a rotational centre—a hint for star compass learning? PLoS One 2015; 10(3): e0119919
5. Azizi, A. H. et al. Emerging category representation in the visual forebrain hierarchy of pigeons (Columba livia). Behavioural Brain Research 2019; 356: 423-434
6. Xiao Q. et al. „Prefrontal” neuronal foundations of visual asymmetries in pigeons. Frontiers in Physiology 2022; 13: 882597
7. Steinemer A. et al. Parallel executive pallio-motor loops in the pigeon brain. Journal of Comparative Neurology 2024; 532(4), e25611
8. Letzner, S. et al. Connectivity and neurochemistry of the commissura anterior of the pigeon (Columba livia). Journal of Comparative Neurology 2016; 524(2): 343-361
9. Weiler J. Getting romantic at home wearing an EEG cap. Ruhr University Bochum 13.01.2021 (accessed on 10.12.2025) >> 
10. Maes A. What happens in the brain when we decide about money or food. Ruhr University Bochum, 26.04.2024 (accessed on 09.01.2026) >> 
11. Drießen M. Forscher züchten kleine Lungen für die Sars-Cov-2-Forschung. Ruhr University Bochum, 28.05.2020 (aufgerufen am 09.01.2026) >> 
12. Drießen M. Alzheimer im Mini-Gehirn. Ruhr University Bochum, 30.04.2019 (aufgerufen am 09.01.2026) >>