Animal experimentation: a legal fight in Brazilian universities

Authors

  • Fernanda Luiza Fontoura de Medeiros Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS
  • Letícia Albuquerque Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/1807-1384.2015v12n1p65

Abstract

Vivisection, or the use of animals in experiments, testing or education is part of a context in which many people still think represent an emergency conflict that requires the choice of human interests rather than the interests of animals. In Brazil, the 1988 Federal Constitution, in Article 225, paragraph 1, item VII, prohibits the practice of cruelty to animals. To regulate the said device, was passed in 2008 the Law 11.794 / 2008, known as Arouca Law, establishing procedures for the scientific use of animals and the Law 9.605 / 2008, which deals with environmental crimes. However, according to Brazilian Constitution, is it possible to sustain the use of animals in teaching and research, especially in universities? The aim of this paper is to analyze the Brazilian legislation regarding the use of animals in testing, teaching and research, and to discuss the observation of this legislation during the lawsuits filled in recent years by animal advocacy organizations against several Brazilian universities. The results point to a disagreement between the practices prevailing in the universities, the legislation and the Brazilian Constitution.

 

 

Author Biographies

Fernanda Luiza Fontoura de Medeiros, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS

Doutorado em Direito pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina com Estágio de Doutoramento Sanduiche pela CAPES na Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal. Professora da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) e Professora Permanente do Curso de Direito e da Pós-Graduação em Direito e Sociedade do UNILASALLE.

Letícia Albuquerque, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC

Doutora em Direito pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, com estágio de Doutoramento na Faculdade de Direito de Coimbra/Portugal, bolsista CAPES. Professora Adjunta III dos cursos de Graduação e Pós-graduação em Direito da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.

Published

2015-07-08

Issue

Section

Dossiê: Animais não humanos: um olhar contemporâneo. Orgs: Drs. Javier Vernal, Letícia Albuquerque e Fernanda Medeiros