9 Göttinger mini pigs
from the experiment
Now they are retired, the Göttingen mini pigs. At the age of around three years, 9 pig personalities became Aiderbichlers and should be able to lead a good, relaxed life until the end of their natural lives.
The series of experiments has come to an end, and the “lucky” pigs should be even luckier. After the animals had grown very fond of the employees in the experimental laboratory, it was clear that the animals should definitely continue to live and so the enquiry came to Gut Aiderbichl. The Göttingen minipigs Vera, Julia, Sophie, Ludmilla, Bernadette, Ferdinand, Anno, Hannibal and Markus have found a forever home at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf.
They were laboratory animals that did not have to suffer
Blood samples were taken from the pigs at regular intervals, which were required for in vitro experiments. Accordingly, no experiments were carried out on the pigs themselves, but their blood was required for the experiments.
During the time in the experiment, they were characterised by the loving care very trusting and are absolutely friendly towards humans. They always had a regular daily routine and received visits from students and visitor groups, the animalshad outdoor enclosures and – unlike other animalswere kept in experimental conditions, kept in the experiment – the 9 mini pigs were able to move aroundfreely.
A dedicated vet built an outdoor enclosure for the 9 mini pigs
Vera, Julia, Sophie, Ludmilla, Bernadette, Ferdinand, Anno, Hannibal and Markus shouldhave it good, and so a dedicated vetfenced a meadowfor them. Pigs want to move, and at least as much as a dog does.
He was sad when he gave her away,because Vera, Julia, Sophie, Ludmilla, Bernadette, Ferdinand, Anno, Hannibal and Markus were his ray of hope aftermany a hard day’s work.
The mini pigs were labelled with a number and a name
During the test series, the pigs were labelled with numbers. Each minipigwas also given a name:
Vera – is the boss of the pig ladies and sets the tone,Julia – is a model student, so very capable of learning. However, she still prefers to be cosy, Sophie – loves sunbathing and delicious food,Ludmilla – she is the smallest of the pig ladies and loves to be petted without end, Bernadette – tends to be higher up in the pecking order and sometimes even tussles with the boys,Ferdinand – is the head of the Göttingen Minipigs and lives up to his reputation, Anno – Chilling has a name: Anno, Hannibal – he’s cheeky and cheeky, Markus – was the original boss of all nine pigs. He handed over this position to Ferdinand.
As deep friendships have formed within the group and the animals are very attached to each other,they wanted to try to find a place where they could be happy and content together for the rest of their lives. For the vet, a heartfelt wish came true and for the 9 Göttingen mini pigs is itnowso, that they live together in a wooden house with a terrace and adjoining bathing pond.
National and international laws require animal testing ...
The owner of the 9 mini pigs was the company Merck.
“National and international laws require animal testing for the development and approval of drugs and chemicals. Our long-term goal at Merck is to replace these tests with better alternatives. Nevertheless, animal testing will remain unavoidable for many years to come, especially in drug development. As long as this is the case, we want to offer all our animals the highest possible quality of life. We are therefore committed to providing the best possible standards of accommodation, husbandry and veterinary care. This applies to rodents just as much as it does to our pigs, which are used for the well-being of patients. We are therefore particularly pleased to be able to thank our protégés with a beautiful pig duck at Gut Aiderbichl Farm. It’s nice to know that they feel so comfortable there – we would like to thank everyone who makes this possible.” (Dr Schmitt, Global Head of Development Chemical&Preclinical Safety, Merck)
The Merck company provided the mini-pigs with a pension. The absolute wish is that the pigs want for nothing and that they feel “very comfortable”.
Many thanks to Merck and its employees for their respect for animals and may there soon be medicines and chemicals where animals are no longer required for experimental purposes. Herzlichst, Ihre Gisela
