Next May, the trial for one of the most serious and mediatic cases of animal abuse in laboratories known in Spain in recent years will finally take place: the Vivotecnia case.
On May 7 and 8, the trial derived from the complaint filed after images emerged in 2021 will be held in Madrid. The images showed extremely cruel practices against animals used in experimentation inside this laboratory dedicated to conducting trials.
The case became public five years ago following recordings obtained by an activist from the organization Cruelty Free International who had infiltrated the facility. The images showed scenes of mistreatment and degrading treatment towards animals used in experimentation, including rough handling, blows, mockery of the animals, and behavior completely incompatible with legal animal welfare standards.
The release of these videos generated enormous public outrage and sparked protests in different parts of the country, in addition to opening an intense public debate on the control and supervision of laboratories that use animals in research.
Given the seriousness of the events and the need for accountability, FAADA and AnimaNaturalis decided to take legal action so that what happened would not go unpunished. Together with other animal protection organizations, we promoted a criminal complaint against those responsible for the laboratory with the aim of having the facts investigated and judged by the courts.
Since then, both organizations have maintained an active and constant role in monitoring the case, promoting different actions to ensure that the proceedings progressed and that public administrations acted with due transparency.
The path to reaching this point has been long and complex. Five years have passed since the case came to light, involving judicial proceedings, investigations, and procedural steps. Despite the difficulties and the inherent timelines of such procedures, the trial will finally be held on May 7 and 8, 2026, in Madrid. In this case, we will be represented by Ana Cal Estrela, who will act with the legal support and coordination of our legal areas.
For us, the holding of this trial represents a key moment to determine responsibilities for what happened and to send a clear message: animal abuse cannot go unpunished, not even when it occurs inside facilities dedicated to scientific experimentation.
AnimaNaturalis and FAADA will be present during the trial to closely follow the proceedings and continue working to ensure justice is done for the animals that were victims of these terrible events.
