The Comunidad de Madrid, the authority responsible for issuing licences and inspecting animal testing facilities in the Madrid region, has failed to respond to our requests for a meeting and more information about the fate of animals still being held at Vivotecnia.

Findings from an undercover investigation we released on April 8^th  revealed systemic animal cruelty and suffering and breaches of European and Spanish law at the Vivotecnia contract testing facility in Madrid.

Legal action is underway, and the authority has announced that Vivotecnia’s licence to operate has been suspended. Whilst there were early indications that the animals would be safely rehomed, this does not appear to have happened. After contacting the authority asking them to answer key questions on the status of the animals, with a one-week deadline for response, we have received no reply.

We want to know:

• How many animals are currently still held at Vivotecnia and of what species?
• How many animals are still undergoing experiments?
• What these experiments are?
• Who is currently looking after the animals at Vivotecnia?
• If the suspension on new procedures is still in operation?
• If the animals are receiving 24/7 care?
• What steps have been taken to remedy the inadequate and unlawful animal housing?
• If the authority would agree to independent lab inspections by a practising veterinarian?

Dr Katy Taylor, our Director of Science, said: “Our main focus now is on ensuring that the animals, who are in fact still being kept at the facility, are safe and will be safely and urgently rehomed and that the Comunidad de Madrid is reviewing how it could have permitted such inhumane and unlawful levels of suffering to take place.”

So far, nearly 700,000 people have signed our petition calling for the Madrid authorities to revoke Vivotecnia’s licence to carry out experiments and close the facility and stressing the urgent need for an EU review of toxicity testing and a roadmap to bring the suffering of animals in all European laboratories to an end.