Beagle revolt: institute loses license.
The São Roque City Hall has suspended the activities of the Royal Institute for 60 days. The institute was conducting research with beagle dogs for the development of medicines and cosmetics. A commission of federal deputies pointed out that the animals lived in an environment lacking basic hygiene and unsuitable for laboratory testing. This weekend, Veja and Época magazines dedicated their covers to the topic, with a pro-science slant. But now, were the protesters right?
247 - The beagle revolt, triggered after a group of protesters stormed the Royal Institute in São Roque (SP) and freed 178 dogs of the breed, has sparked heated debates. On one side, activists defend animal rights. On the other, scientists point to ten years of research losses. This weekend, Veja and Época magazines dedicated their covers to the topic, with a pro-science slant. But a decision by the São Roque city hall, announced this Saturday, changes the picture. The Royal Institute lost its operating license for 60 days after a commission formed by deputies found that the dogs were being mistreated. Read below the report from Agência Brasil:
Karine Melo and Elaine Patricia Cruz
Reporters from Agência Brasil
São Paulo – The city hall of São Roque (SP) suspended yesterday (26), for 60 days, the operating license of the Royal Institute, which uses animals for research. The measure was taken by Mayor Daniel de Oliveira Costa after a report prepared by a commission of federal deputies formed to monitor the investigations of the case pointed out that the animals lived in an environment without the minimum hygiene and without conditions to house laboratory tests.
Previously, on the 24th, a city hall commission inspected the Royal Institute and found no irregularities. On that day, the mayor, who participated in the visit, said there were no reasons for the company's license to be revoked.
Last week, protesters stormed the institute's headquarters and removed 178 beagle dogs from the premises. The activists accuse Royal of mistreating dogs, rabbits, rats, and other animals used in scientific research.
In a press release, the institute's press office lamented the city hall's decision. "The management of the Royal Institute proposed to the São Roque city hall the voluntary suspension of animal research for the next 60 days due to the physical damage caused to its facilities. Therefore, it is with surprise that it receives the mayor's decision to suspend the entity's license for the same period, adopted based on political criteria," the statement reads.