Laboratory animal suppliers in the United Kingdom

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The animal liberation movement in the UK has historically been a prominent one compared to the rest of the world. During the 1980s, laboratories themselves were often targeted by activists, but they have increasingly employed higher security measures. Since the mid-1990s, animal rights campaigners have focused on laboratory animal suppliers, considering them a softer target. Campaign tactics have included leafleting, demonstrations, verbal and physical intimidation, false accusations of criminal activity such as pedophilia, destruction of property, arson, grave-robbing, and the use of explosive devices.

The effect of the campaigns has been to put many smaller breeders out of business and concentrate the market to a few larger players, or to force pharmaceutical companies and universities to breed animals in-house. For example, after Shamrock Farm closed in 2000, there were no commercial importers of laboratory primates left in the UK. To cope with this shortage, Cambridge University planned to build Europe's largest primate facility. However, they withdrew their plans following a concerted campaign by animal rights activists.

The trend has been for companies that experiment on animals to threaten to pull out of the UK. [1]. The chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, Jean-Pierre Garnier has said: "I work hard to bring in investment to the United Kingdom and have talked many times to friends who are in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses about moving here. But there is one issue that exists only in the UK and nowhere else has a comparative effect from extreme actions by animal rights activists." [2]

[edit] Current UK laboratory animal breeders

This is a list of commercial laboratory animal breeders in the UK

• Allington Farm, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JJ Breed rodents. Owned by the MOD and is not a commercial breeder.
• B&K Universal, Grimston, Aldbrough, Hull, East Yorkshire. Breeders of primates, dogs, and rodents.
• Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Margate, Kent. Breeders of chickens, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils.
• Harlan, Blackthorn, Bicester, Oxfordshire. Breeders of rodents.
• Harlan Interfauna, Sapley, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Breeders of beagles and rabbits

[edit] Former breeders that have closed down

• A Tuck & Son Ltd., Battlesbridge, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Breeders of rats and mice. Closed 2003. [3]
• Biological Supplier Services Ltd, Hull, East Yorkshire. Bred Cats and Farm Animals. Closed 2004.
• Consort Kennels, Herefordshire. Breeders of beagles and primate holding centre. Closed 1997.
• David Hall & Partners, Darley Oaks Farm, Newchurch, Staffordshire. Breeders of guineapigs. Closed Jan 2006.
• Froxfield Farms Ltd, Unit 3, King Lane, Froxfield, Hampshire, GU32 1DR Breeders of Rabbits
• Grayston Guinea-Pigs, Ringwood, Hants. Breeders of guinea-pigs
• Griffin & Co, Essex Closed: Apx 2000 Supplied Frogs and Amphibians
• Hacking & Churchill, Huntingdon, Cambs. Breeders of dogs and rabbits. Unfortunately, site bought by Harlan Interfauna Ltd when H&C closed
• Harlan Rosehill Farm, East Sussex. Breeders of guineapig and rabbits. Closed 2000.
• Harlan Firgrove Farm, Heathfield, East Sussex. Closed 2004.
• Harlan Cambridge Farm, Sussex. Bred rodents
• HG Rabbitry, Healds Green, Chadderton, Oldham, OL11 2SP
• Hylyne Rabbits, Lymm, Cheshire. Closed 1994.
• Hillgrove Farm, Witney, Oxfordshire. Breeders of cats. Closed in 1998.
• Lesley Moore, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Breeders of rabbits and pigeons. Closed apx. 2004.
• Morton Commercial Rabbits, Parsonage Farm, Stansted, Essex
• Oxford University Park Farm, Northmoor, Oxford. Closed in 1999.
• Pemberley Rabbits, Cottenham, Cambridge
• Perrycroft Lodge, Malvern, Worcestershire. Bred beagles. Closed in 1990.
• Porcellus Animal Breeding Ltd, Sussex. Bred guinea-pigs. Closed in 2004.
• Ranch Rabbits, Parkfield Farm, Crawley Down, Copthorne, Sussex Closed 1994
• Redfern Animal Breeders, Ely Grange, Frant, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9DZ Bred Guinea-Pigs
• Regal Group UK t/a Regal Rabbits, Great Bookham, Surrey. Breeders of rabbits. Closed in 2000.
• Rosemead Rabbits, Waltham Abbey, Essex. Bred Rabbits
• Roy Robinson, St. Stephens Road Nursery, Ealing, London, W13 8HB Bred cats
• Shamrock Farm, Small Dole, West Sussex. Importers of primates. Closed in 2000.
• Stukeley Meadows, Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate, Huntingdon. Breeders of rodents for Huntingdon Life Sciences. Closed c.2000.
• The Frog Farm, County Meath, Ireland. Breeders of Frogs and Reptiles. Closed in 2005.
• Water Farm Goat Centre, Stogursey, Bridgwater, Somerset. Breeders of goats. c.2004