On the night of the 20th of December 2022, people from Animal Rising successfully entered Marshall BioResources Acres facility near Cambridge and rescued 18 beagle puppies from a life of torture in the animal testing industry. Now, nearly two years later, 18 people have been charged with the burglary of dogs from the facility, facing up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. But this case isn’t about us, it is all about putting animal testing on trial - to do that we need your help.
THE TRIAL
This is the trial of the decade and it could not be more important. If juries of 12 ordinary people return not-guilty verdicts for our actions it will send a shockwave through society; it could even spell the beginning of the end for testing on animals in the UK, and perhaps the globe. However, the animal testing industry is rich, powerful, and will do anything to find us guilty.
We will need access to expert legal professionals to build our case and we’ll likely spend months, if not years, waiting for the trial itself. Throughout this time we need your support to give us the best chance of finding animal testing guilty.
THE PUPPIES
We successfully rescued 18 dogs from MBR Acres but, tragically, two more were intercepted by police during the rescue. Despite our best efforts, thousands of petition signatures, celebrity outcry, and a demonstration at Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Headquarters - Love and Libby were returned to MBR Acres. It is for those two, and every other animal stuck in needless testing that we are taking this to trial.
However, the 18 dogs we did rescue did get their happy endings. One of them, Max (not his real name, to protect him,) has been featured several times on our social media since the rescue! His humans tell us that he has grabbed his new life with both paws and loves a beach walk or rolling in grass at every opportunity! Another, Zippy, is the most energetic little dog anyone could ever meet. As soon as he was rescued and in a safe place he couldn’t stay still and made the absolute most of his newfound freedom.
Max and Zippy’s lives are what we wish for every puppy inside MBR Acres and beyond. The ability to enjoy life is something every animal should have.
WHERE WE RESCUED THEM FROM
In rescuing those puppies from MBR Acres we gave them the chance of long and happy lives. In animal testing dogs are routinely killed before they’re six months old - but beagles live as long as 14 years naturally!
The site, MBR Acres, is responsible for breeding around 2,000 beagles each year to be sold for animal testing at 16 weeks old. The company also holds ‘bleeding licences’ which allow them to bleed healthy dogs to death to harvest their blood and organs. The site has previously come under fire with recorded fly infestations, unhygienic buildings, lack of bedding, and dogs without access to outdoor spaces or enrichment.
Celebrities like Will Young, Peter Egan, and Megan McCubbin have all spoken out against animal testing - with Young even handcuffing himself to the gates of MBR in 2021! In 2023, after our rescue, the Daily Mirror ran a story detailing the horrific conditions dogs are kept in at the site.
ANIMAL TESTING
Dr Lindsay Marshall, biomedical science advisor to the Humane Society International UK recently stated “The UK cannot expect to have world-leading science innovation whilst we rely on failing animal-based research methods that are rooted in the past.” Reliable alternatives to animal testing include testing on lab-grown stem cells or ‘organs-on-a-chip.’
In 2021, 3.06 million instances of animal testing were recorded in the UK, a 6% increase on 2020. 4,016 of these tests were carried out on beagles like those bred by MBR Acres. The procedures often result in vomiting, internal bleeding, organ damage, seizures and death. For those who survive, the tests can last for months, after which the animals are killed regardless.
There are multiple examples of drugs that have passed testing on animals and caused severe threats to human life including TGN1412, a potential cancer treatment and BIA 10-2474, a supposed wonder drug.
A 2015 article published in the "Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics" reported evidence that suggests that the collective harms and costs to humans from animal experimentation outweigh potential benefits and that resources would be better invested in developing human-based testing methods.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
We are expecting that the Beagle 18 will be split into three separate trial groups, each expected to last a month or longer. Each trial will incur the legal costs of representation, transport to and from court, accommodation for defendants, and supporting them to take the time off work We also have people doing full-time media work to turn this into a national issue. We anticipate this will cost at least £100,000.
If we’re found innocent, these trials will be the first step away from testing on animals. Please donate to help support us with the costs of expert legal professionals, travel to court, accommodation during the trial, and turning this trial into a massive national conversation.
Thank You,
Nathan McGovern, on behalf of the Beagle 18.