While the animal world has been focusing on the horrible treatment of dogs for the meat trade in Asia, a similar horror has been granted approval by the government in Britain – a Beagle breeding farm that will breed dogs solely for the use of animal testing.
According to Sky News, who first reported the story, the US-owned company won an appeal after being originally refused by the former Communities Secretary Sir Eric Pickles. Communities Secretary Greg Clark is the one responsible for making the decision to allow Yorkshire Evergreen (part of the US firm Marshall BioResources) to breed beagles at Grimston near Hull, in East Yorkshire, for use in vivisection (live animal testing).
What may be more surprising is that this is not the first breeding facility but the second, the first one in Harlan, Cambridgeshire also breeds beagles in Britain for animal testing. They currently supply 3,000 dogs a year to UK laboratories.
“The number of dog experiments has declined substantially over the past 10 years, but this regressive decision could see that positive trend reversed,” Jan Creamer, secretary for The National Anti-Vivesection Society told Sky News.
A statement issued by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said: “The Secretary of State, Greg Clark, has shown a complete lack of compassion, common sense and intelligence.
“Breeding dogs for experiments supports a shameful trade and is something that belongs in the past, when we didn’t know that we had other options.”
Sky News learned that the beagles sell for around $1,750 (1600 Euro), making it a 5.5 million dollar market.
Marshall BioResouces breeds many animals for scientific experimentation, including beagles, mini pigs, mongrels (mixed breed dogs), and ferrets. According to their website, they also raise beagles in China and have facilities in North America, Europa, India, South Korea, China and Japan.
How YOU Can Help
First, make sure you are not spending your money on products that are tested on animals. Every time you shop, you are “voting” with your dollars. If we stop supporting these products, their companies will be forced to stop experimenting on animals.
There is a free app that allows you to quickly look up a company to see if they are cruelty free. You can download it here. There is another app that has a few more features is $2.99. You can buy it on iTunes and it was created by the Beagle Freedom Project.
What is your opinion?
(H/T: Sky News)
