Toxicity testing on animals at Vivotecnia, Spain

A breaking investigation released by Cruelty Free International once again reveals the extreme suffering and cruelty endured by animals in Europe’s laboratories.

Here is what was found at Vivotecnia, a contract testing facility in Madrid, Spain by a whistle-blower who had been employed at the site. Vivotecnia conducts product safety studies for the cosmetic, chemical and agrochemical industries The animals used at the facility include monkeys, pigs, dogs, rabbits, mice and rats.

• Deliberate acts of gratuitous cruelty towards animals, including smacking and shaking.
• Taunting and mocking animals who were stressed and suffering, including those who were being killed or who were dying.
• Appalling techniques and bad practice inflicting even greater suffering and death, including no or inadequate anaesthesia.
• Poor handling and restraint of animals, leading to rabbits suffering spinal injuries.
• Animals killed in the presence of others of their kind.
• Systemic breaches of Spanish and EU law. 

Toxicity testing involves dosing animals to see how much of a chemical or drug it takes to cause serious harm, in an attempt to measure what a ‘safe’ dose for humans might be. Groups of animals are injected with or forced to ingest or inhale increasing amounts of a substance to measure the toxic effects which can be severe and include vomiting, internal bleeding, respiratory distress, fever, weight loss, lethargy, skin problems, organ failure and even death. No anaesthetics or pain relief are provided. 

Because each species of animal often reacts differently to the same substance and the reaction in human beings may be totally different, the tests are, we believe, also unreliable predictors for safe and effective drugs for humans. 

TAUNTED AND ABUSED

The whistle-blower’s footage shows animals taunted and abused. We see a senior staff member  drawing a face on a monkey’s genitals as the animal is pinned to the table and his blood taken; we see dogs and rats swung around and animals cut into without anaesthesia. The video shows young monkeys physically restrained, no sedation provided to reduce their anxiety; monkeys slapped on the head, their fur pulled and sworn at for struggling. We see rabbits struggling in their restraint devices, falling out and suffering serious spinal injuries.

There can be no doubt that such gratuitous cruelty causes unnecessary distress and suffering. It is also unlawful.

BREACHES OF EU AND SPANISH LAW

We believe Vivotecnia is systematically in breach of European law governing the use of animals in scientific procedures and of Spanish law. These breaches include:

• The cruel behaviour of some members of staff towards the animals.
• Dogs often separated from their cage mates in badly maintained, barren housing with no toys or bedding, no regular exercise programmes.
• Pigs housed in tiers in a dark room on a hard, slatted floor with no resting areas, no bedding and no enrichment.
• Inappropriate handling techniques used for picking up and restraining animals, for example animals picked up by the scruff of the neck, ears and tail.
• Animals routinely suffering more then they needed to as a result of the sub-standard practices used in procedures such as oral gavage and blood collection.