Paper short abstract

In this paper I analyze the controversy about the dogs rescued after being used as laboratory animals in a research institute in Brazil.

Paper long abstract

Recently in Brazil animal rights activists broke into a research institute and rescued several dogs that were used in scientific experiments. In this paper I analyze the controversy that arouse from such rescue, tracing the arguments used by the intruders and by the spokesperson of the Institute and public notes released by other scientific research centers. Those agents presented conflicting definitions of what should be understood as an animal, a scientific experiment, suffering, ill-treatment and even life itself. Through this discussion, it will be possible to understand the conflicting conceptions constructed about what would be the nature and what are the ideal ways to interact with it.