VUB investigates animal cruelty claims at laboratory

Brussels' Dutch-speaking university, VUB, has opened an investigation after an animal welfare charity released undercover video footage appearing to show animals being mistreated at a university lab.

The images were filmed over a four-month period at the Animalarium, on VUB's Jette campus, where animal testing is carried out. Animal charity Gaïa said the alleged mistreatment included mice being decapitated with scissors and a ballpoint pen, or left to die in a freezer, as well as the decapitation of baby piglets.

One of its members, a woman in her early 30s, recorded the footage using a hidden camera between March and June this year. The undercover investigator claims she tried in vain to alert her superiors to the alleged practices.

Gaïa said the conditions for the lab animals was a "nightmare", with "painful testing" and "widespread neglect, complacency and contempt" for the creatures' welfare. The charity has called for an "exhaustive and independent" investigation into the Animalarium.

The Brussels minister for animal welfare, Bianca Debaets, said: "I'm very shocked by these images" - but added that animal testing is necessary in certain cases and should remain authorised, subject to a strict legal framework and routine checks on labs.

VUB said in a statement that it did everything possible to avoid animals' unnecessary suffering during experiments and an in-depth inquiry would be carried out to ensure that its animal testing rules were respected.

Video contains images some may find disturbing