Camp Beagle claim to have achieved a major success in persuading FloGas to end their energy supply contract to MBR Acres at Wyton near Huntingdon. “The announcement follows several protests, including one in Southampton, where FloGas staff started a prayer circle in solidarity with the protest,” said a Camp Beagle spokesperson.
“FloGas are the latest to join a growing boycott of the firm, which includes their former occupational health assessors, as well as two garages that used to supply and service the vehicles used to transport dogs to the laboratories, where they will undergo experimentation before being killed.”
Camp Beagle supporters have published an email from FloGas confirming the termination of the contract – we have asked FloGas to verify it.
Jamie Cooke, a Camp Beagle supporter, has published the email.
“I have just received this email with good news Flogas have done the right thing and will be joining the boycott of MBR Acres,” he said.
“This is a win for the fight against MBR and the AR community; let’s keep the pressure on the other suppliers.
“We can now cross Flogas off the list of suppliers.”
Camp Beagle says at the FloGas depot in Southampton “senior staff came out immediately to learn why we were there.
“We told them all about the 2,000 dogs bred every year by MBR Acres, who are sold to British laboratories for a fate worse than death.
“After checking that we had enough water and were comfortable, they asked to join our protest and lead a prayer circle, calling on our victory, and the release of the MBR Beagles.
“This empathy clearly runs through the whole company, as we have just learnt that FloGas have dropped MBR Acres.”
MBR Acres, which breeds 2,000 dogs a year for the research industry, has been the subject of the world’s longest-running protest camp against animal testing, which marks its third year this week.
Two years ago, pop singer Will Young chained himself to the gates, and this year, Gemma Collins marched on Parliament to demand its closure.
It was announced last week that 18 campaigners from Animal Rising have been charged for rescuing 23 dogs from the facility in 2022.
Steve James from Free the MBR Beagles said, ‘We are delighted that FloGas has taken an ethical stance on this issue and applaud them for their professional morality.
“In 2024, dogs should not be poisoned to death to test the latest weedkiller, industrial chemical, or cough medicine.
“Animal testing is not ethical, nor is it scientific. With a failure rate of 95%, it is time to end this Victorian-era nightmare and focus on future-facing and effective scientific research. We hope the new Labour government will stand with us in this demand for better science.”
Camp Beagle campaigners says their efforts to persuade Stericycle, another MBR Acres supplier, have been less successful.
One protestor scaled a building at the company’s Bournemouth depot., others blocked the company’s lorries.
