Laboratory animal suppliers in the United Kingdom breed animals such as rodents, rabbits, dogs, cats and primates which they sell to licensed establishments for scientific experimentation. Many have found themselves at the centre of animal rights protests against animal testing.
Campaign methods have included leafleting, demonstrations, verbal and physical intimidation, false accusations of criminal activity such as paedophilia, destruction of property, arson, the use of explosive devices and a grave-robbing.
Many smaller breeders have gone out of business, concentrating the market around larger international companies, such as Charles River Laboratories and Harlan, or to forcing 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 address 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. 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."
Former commercial laboratory animal breeders in the UK include:
- Abbot Brothers, Thuxton, Norfolk.
Bred of pigeons, ferrets
- ADAS Roseumund Research Centre, Preston Wynne, Hereford, HR1 3PG
Bred Deer
- Alpha Sirius Ltd, Jubilee Drive, Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6DN
Bred beagles. Closed in 1990
- Animal Supplies Ltd, Roebuck Farm, Knebworth, Herts. & North Finchley, London
Traded monkeys which were bought from zoos
- APT (Animal Pharmaceutical Technology) Consultancy, Hampshire
Bred and sold dogs
- A Tuck & Son Ltd, Beeches Road, Rawreth Wickford, Essex, SS11 8TJ
Breeders of rats and mice. Closed 2003.
- Belgrave Trading Ltd, Lambourn, Berkshire
Hamsters. Closed 2002
- BIBRA, Woodmanstere Road, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 4DS
Closed 2009. Bred small animals and marmosets
- Biological Supplier Services Ltd, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU12 8QH
Bred Cats and Farm Animals. Closed 2004.
- Biorex Laboratories Ltd., Biorex Houses, Canonbury Villas, London N1 2HB
Bred rodents. Closed 2011.
- Bioserve Ltd, 38-42 Station Rd., Worthing, Sussex, BN11 1JP.
Bred rodents
- Boots, The Priory, Thurgarton, Nottingham, NG14 7GX
Bred beagles. Closed 1995.
- C&J Morton (Stansted) Ltd, Parsonage Lodge, Parsonage Farm, Stansted, Essex, CM24 8TX
Bred Rabbits. Closed 2010
- Central Animal Distributors Ltd, Nottingham
- Chantry & Co, Normandy, Guildford
Bred Pigeons. Closed 1988
- Club Row Animal Market, Bethnal Green Road, London.
Distributed dogs and cats.
- Coney Europa Ltd. Cheshire
Bred farm Animals - Closed 2000
- Consort Bioservices Ltd, Harewood Park, Harewood End, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR2 8JS
Breeders of beagles. Also traded primates and rodents. Closed 1997.
- David Hall & Partners, Darley Oaks Farm, Newchurch, Hoar Cross, Staffordshire, DE13 8RJ
Breeders of guineapigs. Closed Jan 2006.
- David Hall & Partners, Ivy Bank Lodge, Brickhill Lane, Newborough, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 8SW
Breeders of guineapigs. Closed Jan 2006.
- Dennis P McCarthy & Co. Ltd, The Frog Farm, Rockfield Road, Kells, County Meath, Ireland.
Breeders of Frogs and Reptiles. Closed in 2005.
- DJ Benhill, Carshalton, Surrey
Supplied pigs. Closed 1980
- Entomological Livestock Supplies Ltd, 109 Fairmile Road, Halesowen, West Midlands, B63 3PZ
Butterflies. Closed 1997
- Froxfield Farms Ltd, Broadway Farm, King Lane, Froxfield, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 1DR
Breeders of Rabbits, ferrets. Closed 1998.
- GlaxoSmithkline, Bury Green Farm, Millfield Lane, Bury Green, Little Hadenham, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG11 2HE
Beagles, rodents. Closed 2002
- Goreside Farm, New Road, Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 1LP
Rabbits and mice. Closed 2000.
- Grayston Guinea Pigs, Little Lions Farm, Ashley Heath, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2EX
Breeders of guinea-pigs. Closed 1990.
- Griffin & Co, Essex
Closed 2000. Supplied Frogs and Amphibians
- Harlan Cambridge Farm, Cambridge Lane, off Hanging Birch Lane, Horam, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0PB
Bred rodents. Closed 2004.
- Harlan Rosehill Farm, East Sussex.
Breeders of guineapig and rabbits. Closed 2000.
- Harlan Firgrove Farm, Firgrove Road, Cross-in-Hand, nr Heathfield, East Sussex.
Closed 2004. Bred Guinea-Pigs
- Harlan, Parkfields Farm, Hophurst Lane, Crawley Down, West Sussex, RH10 4FF
Closed 1995. Bred rodents.
- Highgate Farm, Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Bred chickens. Closed 2011.
- Hillgrove Farm, Crawley Dry Lane, Minster Lovell, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 0NA
Breeders of cats. Closed in 1998.
- Hollymoor Rabbits, Hollymoor, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6
Bred Rabbits. Closed 1985.
- Homestead Farm, nr Dover
Bred rabbits.
- Hylyne Rabbits, 78 Warrington Road, Lymm, Cheshire, WA13 9BT
Bred Rabbits. Closed 1994.
- Joice and Hill Poultry Ltd, Wellingham Road, South Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 7HL
Bred chickens.
- Laundry Farm Field Station, Barton Road, Cambridge,CB3 9LH
Closed 2008. Breed horses, dogs, rodents, rabbits.
- Lesley Moore, Stocks House Farm, Cragg Lane, Thornton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD13 3SP
Bred rabbits and pigeons. Closed 2004.
- Lincolnshire Pheasantries Ltd, The Lodge, 19 Market Place, Folkingham, Lincolnshire, NG34 0SE
Bred pheasants, ducks and quail. Closed 2010
- Lions Laboratories, Ringwood, Hampshire
Closed 1985. Bred rodents.
- M. Mitchard, Dewbrook House, Vines Cross Road, Horam, Sussex, TN21 0HD
Breeders of Guinea-Pigs. Closed1980
- Morton Commercial Rabbits, The Oaks Parsonage Farm, Forest Hall Road, Stansted, Essex, CM24 8TX
Closed 2010
- National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RGz 9AT
Bred Cattle and chickens. Closed 1980.
- Norfolk Rabbits Ltd, Bunn's Bank, The Warren, Long Street, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 1AW
- Nuneham Farm, The Old Sawmill, Nuneham Park, Nuneham Courtenay, Oxford, OX44 9PG
Bred Cats for the University of Oxford. Closed 1997.
- OLAC (Northern) Ltd, Redhill Farm, Kings Norton, Rubery, Birmingham, West Midlands, B38 9EN
Closed 1987
- OLAC (Southern) Ltd - Closed 1989
- Oxford University Park Farm, Standlake Road, Northmoor, Oxfordshire, OX29 5AZ
Closed in 1999. Bred Rabbits, Dogs, Cats, Primates
- Pemberley Rabbits, 25 High Street, Cottenham, Cambridge, CB24 8SA
- Quarry Farm, Tadcaster, nr Leeds. Bred dogs and cats for Leeds University.
Closed 2007. Bred dogs and cats.
- P & H Rabbits, Standlake, Oxon
- Ranch Rabbits, Parkfield Farm, Crawley Down, Copthorne, West Sussex, RH10 4LN
Closed 1999
- Redfern Animal Breeders, Ely Grange, Frant, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9DZ
Bred Guinea-Pigs
- Regal Group UK t/a Regal Rabbits, 1 Chapel Lane, Great Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4QG
Breeders of rabbits and ferrets. Closed in 2000.
- Rosemead Rabbits, Pynest Green Lane, Waltham Abbey, Essex, EN9 3QN
Bred Rabbits. Closed 1995.
- Rowlands Cattle Farm, Hampshire
Cows for use at GlaxoSmithKline
- Roy Robinson, St. Stephens Road Nursery, Ealing, London, W13 8HB
Bred cats.
- Salford University Animal House, Main Campus
Breeding of rodents, rabbits and guinea-pigs. Closed 2008.
- Scientific Animal Supplies Ltd, Elstree, Aylesbury, Bucks
Bred rodents
- Shamrock Farm, Upper Horton Farm,Henfield Road, Small Dole, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9XH
Importers of primates. Closed in 2000
- Sheffield University Field Laboratories, Lodge Moor Road, Sheffield, S10 4LU
Bred rodents, cats, rabbits. Closed 1990
- Sky Commercial Rabbit Farm, Lees Mill Lane, Meltham, Nr Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD9 4NJ
Closed 1990.
- Southdown Hatcheries, Lewes, Uckfield and South Cheshire
Bred chickens.
- Stukeley Meadows, Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate, Huntingdon, PE29 6DF
Breeders of Rodents for Huntingdon Life Sciences. Closed 2000
- T. Gerrard and Company, Gerrard House, Worthing Rd., East Preston, West Sussex
Snails, locust and frogs
- Triangle Mousery, 81 Windsor Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4DN
Bred rodents.
- Water Farm Goat Centre, Stogursey, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 1PS
Breeders of goats. Closed 2004
- Wellcome Veterinary Research Station, Ely Grange, Frant, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
- Wickham Laboratories SPF Ltd, Torbay Farm, Scivier's Lane, Lower Upham, Hampshire, SO32 1HB
Breeder of SPF chickens for vivisection. Closed 2009.
- Winches Farm, 395 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0XQ
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Field Station. Closed 1992
- Wrights of Essex, Old Oak Farm, Rectory Lane, Latchingdon, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 6HB
Bred Syrian Hamsters. Closed 2004
- Xenopus Ltd, Holmsdale Nursery, 151 Frenches Road, South Nutfield, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 2HP
Closed 1991
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