Today our UK member Cruelty Free International released findings from a major investigation at Spanish contract-testing laboratory Vivotecnia that reveal shocking levels of cruelty and animal suffering that breach European and Spanish animal testing laws.

Graphic undercover footage shows deliberate acts of cruelty and repeated bad practice in carrying out tests that add unnecessary suffering to animals used in toxicity research.

Some of the tests carried out at the facility are those required by the EU’s chemical safety laws, REACH. The requirements of the new Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability look set to require even greater levels of toxicity testing on animals.

The findings show:

• Deliberate acts of cruelty towards animals, including smacking and shaking.
• Taunting, mocking and verbally abusing animals who were already stressed and suffering.
• Killing animals in the presence of others of their kind.
• Appalling techniques and bad practice which inflicted greater suffering.

We believe Vivotecnia, which conducts safety studies for new drugs, pesticides and chemicals, using monkeys, dogs, pigs, rabbits, mice and rats is systematically in breach of EU laws governing the protection of animals used in research (Directive 2010/63/EU) by causing unnecessary suffering. Cruelty Free Europe is now calling on the Madrid authorities to close the facility immediately.

Dr Katy Taylor, Director of Science at Cruelty Free Europe said: “This footage shows the dark side of regulatory testing on animals. We have uncovered an horrendous mixture of suffering and cruelty in the way animals are housed, handled and abused in toxicity tests, as well as countless breaches of EU legislation.

“It is unthinkable that this should be happening today in Europe. Just 18 months ago, we published similar findings at a laboratory in Germany. It is now beholden on the Commission to put toxicity testing on hold and take action to reassure the public that such appalling cruelty and breaches of law are not happening anywhere else in Europe.”

Kerry Postlewhite, Director of Public Affairs at Cruelty Free Europe said: “The Commission tells us that not only does Directive 2010/63 protect animals used in experiments in the EU but that it also forms the basis of a strategy to bring those experiments to an end in Europe. Time and again, investigations show that it does neither.

If you agree we need a review into use of animals in regulatory toxicity tests in Europe and an EU action plan to bring animal tests to an end, please sign and share our petition to have the facility’s licence to carry out animal experiments revoked immediately and have Vivotecnia closed. 

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES WHICH MAY DISTRESS SOME VIEWERS: watch the investigation footage here