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UK Guinea pig farm closes
Breeder to shut down after enduring the longest-running extremist campaign to date.
On 23 August, the family at the heart of one of longest-running campaigns of intimidation by animal rights activists announced that they were to stop breeding guinea pigs for medical research. Christopher and John Hall said that they were had had enough and would discontinue the breeding the animals at Darley Oaks Farm, Staffordshire in the North of England. A prolonged campaign of hate mail, hoaxes, and harassment culminated in the theft of the body of Gladys Hammond, mother-in-law of Christopher Hall from a graveyard in October 2004. To date the body has not been recovered.
The Halls hope their decision will mean Mrs Hammond’s remains will be returned. “David Hall and Partners’ involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005,” the family said in a statement. “The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of animals involved. The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Gladys Hammond last October. We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys’ body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.”
Some tactics used by protestors had been peaceful. But others included hate mail, malicious phone calls, fireworks, a paedophile smear campaign, paint stripper on cars and arson attacks. The family had to give up going to their local pub after threats to staff working there. Since January 2003, Staffordshire police have received reports of more than 460 incidents at the farm or related targets. The farm’s owners, workers, and any business in the area which has had contact with them have all come under attack from animal rights activists. In addition to the local pub, the fuel supplier and even the farm’s domestic cleaner have been targeted by violent extremists.
Commenting on the closure, the UK BioIndustry Association said: “The BIA applauds the Hall family’s resilience in the face of a violent campaign of intimidation by animal extremists. The widespread public revulsion at the campaign, which has included the theft of a family member’s remains, demonstrates that these deplorable tactics go far beyond the boundaries of legitimate protest. Commitment from the government on tackling animal extremism, together with new legislation, is a move in the right direction. It seems likely that protestors will now use the same tactics at other animal breeding establishments. "