Cruelty Free International has launched a judicial review against the UK Government decision to let a Yorkshire beagle breeding farm never let its dogs go outside
We believe this decision violates the EU animal experiments law. It states that dog breeding facilities must provide outside access for their dogs where possible.
Bantin & Kingman Ltd (B&K) owns the controversial breeding facility in the picturesque hamlet of Grimston, Yorkshire. It is responsible for supplying hundreds of beagles and other animals for experiments every year.
The company claims it is exempt from having to provide outdoor runs because the dogs would be exposed to infections from insects, birds and wild animals. It believes this would endanger the dogs’ health and welfare, and potentially invalidate any experiments they are used in.
In fact, B&K already has outside runs but, astonishingly, proposes destroying them, following concerns about noise.
Legal case
Our carefully considered legal case is against the Home Office which advised that B&K did not need to provide outside access to dogs as part of its plans to expand.
We are arguing that the evidence submitted by B&K was not strong enough for the UK Government to go against EU law and allow B&K to keep dogs inside all their lives at the facility.
We are insisting that the Home Office has a duty to thoroughly investigate the issue before it can make a reasoned judgement. It has woefully failed to do this. It must properly assess the degree of infection risks in Grimston, and whether any potential risk could be reduced or eliminated first.
We believe that if the Home Office hadn’t given the green light to denying dogs outside runs, then B&K would not have been allowed to expand its cruel beagle breeding farm.
Cruelty Free International has successfully campaigned against its previous applications to expand. But in July, the Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities allowed its most recent appeal – causing public outcry.
