On December 16, the parliament of the State of Baden Württemberg voted for a change in the Higher Education Act, which will allow students to complete their studies without using animals. The amendment states that animals shall not be killed for teaching purposes if scientifically equivalent alternatives are available. Universities and colleges are to develop such alternative methods to avoid and reduce animal use, and study courses are to be designed in such a way that animals are not used to illustrate biological, chemical or physical processes if scientifically equivalent alternatives are available. In case alternatives are not available, students must be given the option to fulfill the course requirements without the use of animals.

The amendment, which will come into effect early 2021, follows similar provisions in seven other German states (Bremen, Hessen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen).