The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA) is a law passed by the U.K. parliament in 1986, which regulates the use of laboratory animals in the U.K. Fundamentally, actions that have the potential of causing pain, distress or lasting harm to animals are illegal in the U.K. under separate laws which forbid cruelty to animals. ASPA permits certain scientific procedures, including vivisection, but only if very stringent criteria are met, and if procedures are carried out in a manner that eliminates or minimizes pain, distress or lasting harm to the animals. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the European Union. ... Anaesthetised rat in a stereotaxic restraining device about to undergo brain surgery. ...