A WORDSLEY woman has been trying to raise awareness of a campaign to save beagles from “horrific” laboratory experiments.

Amanda Campbell is a supporter of the Free the MBR Beagles /Camp Beagle campaign which has featured in the national press and she’s hoping to spread the word locally and “urge people to support this amazing campaign”.

She said: “MBR Acres (Marshall BioResources) is a puppy breeding facility in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. This facility breeds around 2,000 beagles every year for laboratory experiments.

“They are dispatched to UK laboratories at just 16 weeks old.

“70 per cent of them will undergo horrific toxicology experiments, this involves repeatedly force feeding via a tube down the throat or inhalation via a mask of pesticides and industrial chemicals.

“Laboratory life expectancy is around 90 days, after which they will either have been poisoned to death or they will be euthanised. It’s heart-breaking to think these dogs are deliberately chosen for this kind of experiment because of their placid, trusting nature."

Marshall BioResources had not responded to a request for comment at time of publishing, but the company says on its website it is "dedicated to maintaining high standards of animal welfare" and that its UK breeding facility is compliant with regulations.

It adds: "We greatly respect and appreciate the role our animals continue to play in the development of life saving discoveries, medicines and treatments for humans and animals alike. Therefore, we believe our animals deserve the best possible treatment and care we can provide."

For several decades, however, animal rights protesters have gathered at the gates of MBR Acres to protest against vivisection and Amanda added that the current campaign "appears to have captured the hearts and minds of the general public and is growing stronger by the day".

She said: “These wonderful people are devoting every single minute they can spare, juggling families, jobs and responsibilities with the absolute belief that MBR will close for good this time.

"Vivisection is barbaric, inaccurate and outdated, it’s time for change. There are lots of ways we can all get involved and support.”

Amanda is urging people to back the campaign by donating or following via social media, writing to their MP, buying cruelty free products, urging their favourite brands to go cruelty free and signing a petition via Camp Beagle's Facebook page.