Open Rescues
Contents
8 Beagles - Open Rescue, September 2026
On 29th September 2026, between 11pm and midnight, a small group of individuals breached the perimeter fence of MBR Acres and gained access to one of the sheds where the beagles are kept.
Eight beagles were rescued and taken to safe, loving homes, where they can now enjoy the life every dog deserves – a life full of love, joy and freedom.
Camp Beagle received footage through its whistleblower phone showing individuals entering the facility and carrying out the rescue. Further footage showed three of the rescued beagles playing with toys after their release.
One woman remained inside the facility to take responsibility for the rescue and was arrested. She was released the following day without charge but remains under investigation on suspicion of burglary. Further arrests were made by police, but at the time of writing, no one has been charged.
“Rescuing beagle puppies from certain death is the proudest moment of my life. Meeting them face to face within the hellish conditions inside MBR Acres and then to see images of them safe and free in loving homes is the most incredible thing in the world.”
Bee Vegan, one of the rescuers
5 Beagles - Open Rescue, June 2022
This rescue followed a trespass protest at MBR Acres on 19th June 2022, during which campaigners from Animal Rising entered the site and filmed the condition of the dogs inside the sheds through ventilation openings.
In the early hours of 20 June, three campaigners from Animal Rising entered the breeding facility and rescued five beagle puppies. The puppies were taken to loving homes, where they now live free from the horrors of laboratory experiments.
The following day, the rescuers handed themselves in to the police, took responsibility for their actions and were charged with burglary. However, charges were soon after dropped by the police who argued there was not enough evidence. Then, nearly three years later, the rescuers were charged again with burglary.
“So in the early hours of June 20th 2022, we successfully cut through fences, entered sheds, and took five beautiful dogs to their freedom, where they now live and thrive in safe family homes. We handed ourselves in immediately and took full responsibility for the rescue, arguing that it was not illegal.“
Dan Kidby, one of the rescuers
20 Beagles - Open Rescue, December 2022
On 20th December 2022, at approximately 5.30am, Animal Rising activists entered MBR Acres and rescued 20 beagle puppies.
Eighteen puppies were successfully taken to safe, loving homes. But for two of the dogs, the rescue ended very differently. Love and Libby, as they were subsequently named, were intercepted by Cambridgeshire Police and later returned to MBR Acres.
Twelve rescuers remained at the site to take responsibility for the action. Police made a further six arrests.
“The sheds at MBR Acres are full of puppies barking and crying, waiting in terror for the day they are taken to be experimented on, hurt, and killed. No one would choose that life for themselves or any other animal. All that suffering is ultimately for nothing. We’ve been led to believe that animal testing is necessary, but that is simply not true. There are better alternatives.”
Louisa Hillwood, one of the rescuers
The Open Rescue Trials
In 2025, the three rescuers involved in the June 2022 action and the 18 people involved in the December 2022 rescue were charged with burglary. All the defendants pleaded NOT guilty.
The judge decided that the courtroom could not accommodate everyone in a single trial, and therefore, divided the defendants into five groups, each facing a separate trial before a different jury. Although the defendants relied on the same central legal defence, the juries reached different verdicts.
The five trials took place between December 2025 and March 2026:
Trial date | Outcome |
December 2025 | Five defendants found guilty of burglary |
January 2026 | Four defendants acquitted of burglary |
February 2026 | Four defendants found guilty of burglary |
March 2026 | Five defendants acquitted of burglary |
March 2026 | Three defendants found guilty of burglary |
Their defence
They admitted entering MBR Acres and taking the dogs but argued that they genuinely believed they were acting to protect the beagles from suffering. Their defence centred on their honest belief that they were rescuing animals from harm, rather than acting dishonestly.
The rescuers argued that:
- They genuinely believed the beagles were suffering and faced further harm.
- They had researched animal testing and the conditions at MBR Acres.
- Their sole purpose was to protect the dogs, not to obtain financial or personal benefit.
- They believed their actions were morally justified and that they had a legal right to intervene.
The judge instructed the juries to consider what each defendant genuinely believed and whether ordinary, decent people would regard their conduct as dishonest.
The verdicts
Two separate juries returned NOT GUILTY verdicts, acquitting nine rescuers of burglary.
These acquittals marked a significant moment for the open-rescue movement, demonstrating that juries could accept the rescuers’ arguments about their honest intentions.
“Today, the jury decided that rescuing puppies from cruelty is not a crime. This verdict says something about who we are as a nation. We are a nation of animal lovers. A group of ordinary people agreed that what happened behind those closed doors at MBR Acres should not be hidden from the world.”
Rose Patterson, one of the rescuers
The remaining rescuers were found guilty of burglary. They received a mixture of suspended prison sentences, unpaid community work and conditional discharges, but none received an immediate custodial sentence.