Animal welfare advocacy groups denounced that the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) plans to sacrifice 34 rabbits. These are intended for surgical practices at the Superior School of Medicine, suspended due to the student strike that began on June 4th.
The organization UNAM Sin Violencia Animal accused the IPN of not respecting animal welfare protocols and demanded custody of the specimens to assign them homes.
Context of the student strike
The indefinite strike by Polytechnic students seeks the removal of director Arturo Reyes Sandoval, investigated for alleged resource misappropriation through the Corazón Guinda y Blanco Foundation.
With the facilities taken over, the animals were left without a defined destination, causing concern among activists and veterinarians.
Contradictions in official information
- The IPN reported on June 11th that the surgical practices had been lost and that the rabbits would be sacrificed.
- However, a video released on June 12th by UNAM Sin Violencia Animal showed the animals alive in their cages, disproving the institutional version.
- Groups managed temporary and permanent homes, as well as spaces in sanctuaries, to prevent their sacrifice.
Legal actions and demands
On June 15th, activists submitted a document with dozens of signatures requesting custody of the rabbits. Although the IPN director signed an acknowledgment of receipt, he did not offer a clear response about the future of the animals.
Due to the lack of transparency, the groups filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City (FGJCDMX), registered under the file CI-FIMH/UAT-MH-1/UI-1 S/D/01124/06-2026.
Arguments of the Polytechnic authorities
The IPN argues that the rabbits cannot be handed over as pets because they are experimental animals, not accustomed to close contact with humans and with specific feeding and care needs.
However, the groups insist that there are suitable spaces for their shelter and that the refusal violates current animal welfare regulations.
International regulations and protocols
Activists point out that the IPN has not presented an updated public protocol in accordance with the 2024 legal reforms nor in relation to the five domains of animal welfare established by the OMSA (World Organization for Animal Health). These domains include:
- Adequate nutrition.
- Safe physical environment.
- Health and disease prevention.
- Natural behavior.
- Positive mental state.
The absence of an updated protocol reinforces the complaint of irregularities and the demand for immediate protective measures.
The case of the 34 IPN rabbits exposes the tension between traditional academic practice and new demands for animal welfare.
The complaint by groups and the intervention of the FGJCDMX seek to ensure that international protocols and recent legal reforms are respected. Beyond the context of the student strike, the conflict opens a debate about the future of laboratory animals and the need to move towards more ethical and sustainable educational models.
