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An undercover investigation of a German lab has revealed horrific animal suffering – with campaigners saying they believe the footage shows a breach of European and German animal testing laws.
Cruelty Free International partnered SOKO Tierschutz to shoot the secret footage at Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology (LPT), a family-owned contract-testing laboratory carrying out toxicity testing for pharmaceutical, industrial and agrochemical companies from all over the world.
Toxicity testing involves poisoning 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. Animals are forced to eat or inhale, or are injected with increasing amounts of a substance to measure the toxic effects. No anaesthetics or pain relief are provided.
Suffering
The graphic footage shows suffering endured by monkeys, dogs, cats and rabbits. According to the organizations, they routinely witnessed ‘dogs left bleeding and dying, and monkeys being abused’.
In addition, investigators filmed ‘dogs left to suffer when it was clear that they were very ill and even dying; dogs kept in barren housing; monkeys wrenched from their cages and restrained in barbaric devices; gratuitous cruelty and lack of overnight care’.
‘Appalling animal suffering’
“Our investigation has uncovered appalling animal suffering, inadequate care, poor practices and breaches of European and German law. We are calling for the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology (LPT) to be closed,” Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International, said in a statement.
“We are also calling for a comprehensive review into the use of animals in regulatory toxicity testing in Europe, including the UK. Every investigation, without fail, shows a similar tale of misery and disregard of the law.
“Every year, animals across Europe are deliberately poisoned in regulatory toxicity tests that can cause them terrible suffering. The evidence from our investigation has lifted the lid on the secrecy that continues to surround the use of animals in these cruel and outdated tests. The graphic footage – beagles left bleeding and dying and monkeys severely distressed and mistreated – illustrates just how appalling their suffering is.”
Cruelty Free International has launched a petition Urging the EU to review animal testing laws
Plant Based News has contacted LPT for comment.
