The slaughter of 32 beagle puppies in a lab experiment
Why are 32 beagle puppies to be slaughtered in a laboratory experiment?
For several reasons, the two main ones being the following:
1. That Royal Decree 53/2013, of 1 February, which establishes the basic rules applicable to the protection of animals used in experiments and other scientific purposes, including teaching, allows this.
2. That there is a public contract that regulates the slaughter of these animals, after being the ‘subject’ of experimentation.
Who is responsible for carrying out the slaughter of the 32 beagle puppies?
According to the official public procurement website of the Catalan Government, the Barcelona Science Park Foundation of the University of
Barcelona contracted the company VIVOTECNIA for this activity by public tender.
In the laboratories of VIVOTECNIA, allegedly, and according to the content of the aforementioned public contract, a toxic substance was administered orally to each of the puppies for 28 days, following the protocol indicated by the Barcelona Science Park Foundation. The contract was put out to public tender and amounts to €255,648.80 (IVA included).
The 32 beagle puppies are being used to test a pharmaceutical drug in an experimental phase.
Can the 32 beagle puppies being tested be put up for adoption?
Yes, according to article 30 of RD 53/2013, the competent body can agree to the adoption of the animal, provided that certain requirements are met, which I quote below:
Article 30. Release and rehoming of animals.
The competent body may authorise that an animal may be placed for adoption, rehomed or returned to a habitat, holding or other environment that is suitable for the species concerned. This shall be subject to the following conditions:
(a) Its state of health permits. (b) It does not pose a danger to public health, animal health or the environment.
c) Appropriate measures have been taken to safeguard the welfare of the animal.
(d) In the case of rehoming or adoption, breeders, suppliers and users have an appropriate programme to ensure that the animal is socialised.
What has been done to prevent the culling of the 32 beagle puppies?
1. Publicity in newspapers (press), radio and TV. Since this case became public, it has been publicised in digital and print newspapers, as well as on radio and TV programmes.
2. Diffusion on social networks. This case has been circulated for more than a week on different social networks, such as Facebook and Instagram, in which different activists and associations have been demanding the release of the 32 beagle puppies for adoption.
3. Petition in Change.org. On 17 January 2022, a Change.org was created with the following petition:
"Save the 38 Beagle puppies of the Vivotecnia laboratory from execution".
https://www.change.org/p/ universidad-de-barcelona-salvar -a-los-38-cachorros-beagle-dellaboratorio-vivotecnia-de-suejecución
Initially this petition listed 38 puppies, based on an earlier news item that contained an erroneous figure for the number of animals. However, in the same text, which develops this headline, it clarifies that it is 32 and not 38. By January 25, the number of signatures had exceeded 458,000.
4. Demonstration on January 22, 2022 - Last Saturday a demonstration was held in the Plaza Sant Jaume in Barcelona, attended by more than 450 people, asking for the release of the beagles and for alternative to animal experimentation.
5. Letter from Barcelona mayor Ada Colau asking the Catalan government not to cull beagles
6. The Directorate General for Animal Rights announces on its social networks that work is underway to award a prize with a significant economic value, for the organisation that presents the best project considered as a viable alternative to animal experimentation.
Reform of the Civil Code ‘Animals as sentient beings’. What about the 32 Beagles puppies?
The recent reform of the legal regime of animals in the civil code, from 5 January 2021, regulates that all animals are living beings endowed with sentience in its article 333 bis paragraph 1.
But what about these 32 Beagle puppies?
Why, if they are sentient beings, are they being experimented on, when they are supposedly no longer ‘things’ in the Civil Code?
As you can see, the removal of animals as 'things' from the Civil Code is not the definitive solution. We need to continue to make progress in terms of animal protection legislation.