Laboratory animal protection: the European Convention and the Dutch Act.

The Council of Europe has adopted a Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. The Convention was opened for signature by governments of the affiliated countries on March 18, 1986. The government of the Netherlands signed on August 4, 1986. In this article, some aspects of the Convention are compared with current practice in the Netherlands under the Dutch Experimental Animals Act (1977). Special attention is paid to Animal Protection Officers and to problems in the assessment of severe and enduring pain in procedures with animals.