Dog portrayed by an employee of Vivotecnia, in Madrid, in a file photo.
The University of Barcelona (UB) has tried this week to distance itself from the controversy over the alleged sacrifice of 32 Beagle puppies that is planned as part of a pharmacological study at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). Initially it transpired that it would be in the next few days, but on Monday the UB stated in a statement that the experimentation phase will take place in March. And this Wednesday he has added to questions from this newspaper that "experimentation with animals" will not take place at the PCB facilities, but at the headquarters of Vivotecnia, "the subcontracted company that won the public tender for these purposes", located in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (CAM). The Minister of Climate Action of the Generalitat, Teresa Jordà,He confirmed it in the afternoon in a Twitter thread in which he stated that "in the event that a project is carried out in Catalonia, it should be evaluated by the Animal Experimentation Commission" of the Generalitat.
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Colau asks the Government to avoid the alleged sacrifice of 38 puppies
As defended by the University of Barcelona, which has not denied the possibility that the puppies may be euthanized, the experiment "will begin once the Work Protocol has been validated, which is now in the design phase."
This, they added, "without today being able to determine, by the very methodology and time of the investigation, what consequences it will have."
The entity has disregarded, on the other hand, said protocol, maintaining that "it has not participated" in its preparation.
For his part, Jordà pointed out in the aforementioned tweet that the department he directs had not received "any communication or request" for authorization on this project; and that it was about the complaints spread on social networks that on January 12 requested information from the PCB. As a result of these requirements, he added, the university entity has confirmed that the project will be carried out in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, "which is the one who must authorize it." The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, had asked the minister Jordà in a letter on Tuesday to avoid the alleged sacrifice.
In the darrers die molta gent ens has transferred the concern for a project d'experimentation with beagle gossos linked to the Barcelona Science Park of the UB.
Treating some grievous complaints, we have acted diligently and not through the communication channels.
I work fil👇
– Teresa Jordà (@TeresaJorda) January 19, 2022
Entities such as PACMA or the Socialist Youth of Catalonia called for demonstrations against the sacrifice of the puppies.
PACMA, specifically, had called for a concentration in the Plaza de Sant Jaume in Barcelona this Saturday.
Sources from the organization pointed out at noon on Wednesday that "there is no forecast to cancel" the concentration because "the gravity is the same", and this gives them "more time to try to stop the sacrifice".
The NGO Cruelty Free International (CFI) published a video on April 7, 2021 in which Vivotecnia workers are seen handling dogs, pigs, mice, rabbits or monkeys and where blows and sudden movements are seen, as well as insults, laughter and other types of humiliation. The images were recorded by a former worker who remains anonymous and who, according to CFI, was ignored when she told the directors of the laboratory what was happening. The Community of Madrid temporarily suspended the activity of the laboratory, although it lifted the cessation of its activity on June 1 last, considering that sufficient precautionary measures had been adopted.
The NGO denounced a few weeks ago that four Spanish public bodies, including the Barcelona Science Park, attached to the UB, have continued to contract the services of Vivotecnia, which continues to be under judicial investigation for animal abuse. The other entities are the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), which contracted the laboratory for 774,064 euros; the Management of Integrated Care of Albacete (Castilla la Mancha), for 87,440 euros; and the Universitat Jaume I, in Castellón (Valencian Community), for 48,480 euros.
The University of Barcelona, which hired Vivotecnia for 211,280 euros, has argued that the research "seeks to develop cures for fibrotic diseases and involves the histopathological study of the organs of 32 dogs of the Beagle breed."
According to the entity, the practice with animals "is for now irreplaceable" in order to "guarantee scientific progress."
Universities and public institutions, they added, "are committed to continuing to work to find alternatives to animal testing."
For their part, animal organizations such as PACMA defend that, according to the regulations that regulate animal experimentation, those "that are in good condition at the end of the study must be put up for adoption, not sacrificed," according to their statement.