Parliamentary Debate 16th January 2023

Parliamentary Debate 16th January 2023

The recent enactment of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 in the US, removes, for regulatory testing, the 83 year old mandate to use animals and  instead gives the option to use superior, cheaper, human relevant NAMS. Scientific development will be accelerated overseas whilst the UK delays in making change.

We hope that the parliamentary debate on Monday will be turning point and initiate real change within the cruel, hidden world of animal experiments that are both morally and scientifically bankrupt.

We are thankful for our social media followers, celebrity/influencer backing and the national outreaches who got behind our petition and those who have lobbied their MPs. With their support the petition smashed through the 100,000 signature barrier leading to this parliamentary debate that is timetabled for Monday 16th January at 4.30pm. We invite people to join us from 2pm in Parliament Square, we have many speakers and our campaign ambassador, Scarlett Beagle will be joining us. 

For 18 months, Camp Beagle has held a 24/7 presence outside the gates of MBR Acres, where beagles are bred under deplorable factory conditions. We are more determined than ever to keep up this pressure until something is done about the plight of the MBR beagles and the whole question of the validity of animal experiments is thoroughly investigated.

Our petition asks for a New Approach Methodologies/ Non Animal Methods (NAMs) independent, advisory specialist committee, to be incorporated within the Home Office animal testing use project licence (PPL) application process. These experts would review PPL to identify superior, cheaper, human relevant, scientifically satisfactory NAMS.  NAMS are not hampered by the non-predicative translation of one species to another. There is an ever increasing body of scientific evidence showing NAMs, such as 3D cell cultures and organs-on-chips, are far more suited to protect public safety, and to develop human drugs. NAMS employ cutting-edge technologies that will consign animal experiments to the history books. Action is needed now to actively push progress towards scientifically superior and cruelty free testing methods.

This petition also calls for a ban on commercial breeding for laboratory animals, such Marshall BioResources (MBR) and Envigo Camp Beagle has gathered evidence as to how the beagles are mistreated inside MBR Acres. There are over one thousand dogs locked indoors 24hrs a day, never allowed outside for exercise; left unattended for 20 hrs on the weekend and 16 hrs on weekdays, They are ‘cared’ for by a skeleton staff of 4 workers.

Undercover footage taken inside MBR Acres shown dogs in distress, displaying pathological repetitive behaviour and living in dreadful conditions that fail to meet the dogs’ basic needs. Floors are filthy with excrements and urine, there is no no bedding, no water bowls, only teated bottles, just one single toy tied to a chain for ‘enrichment’. We are horrified to learn these dogs are exempt from the Animal Welfare bill, and are instead governed by the same outdated legislation that covers them when they are inside the labs to undergo slow, painful toxicology tests. That law is not fit for purpose and these dogs are suffering. Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare, Andrew Knight, reviewed the footage of inside MBR and stated “their behaviour is typical of confined animals under stress, and their welfare is compromised by the lack of comfort, hygiene, enrichment and stimulation.”