A farm that has been breeding guinea pigs for medical research for more than 30 years is to stop after intimidation by animal rights activists.

The family-run Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, has been hit by a six-year campaign of abuse.


You may have heard the above story where the guineau pig breeding farm had to shut down after 6 years of intimidation by animal rights activists. The final straw being when they dug up the remains of "granny" from a nearby graveyard and held them hostage until the farm was shut down.

How sick is that? Whether or not you agree with what animal activists do (I don't) how can you justify such drastic actions?

Just think of the jobs lost by their actions and the potential loss of live by medical research not being carried out.

500 doctors have signed a declaration stating that medical reseach invovles some vital experimentation on aminals and quite frankly that is good enough for me.

I hate any kind of bullying or terrorism which is EXACTLY what these extreme animal rights activists are. More interested in their personal crusade than the bigger picture.

I agree Dol, it is sick. Some animal extremists to take things too far. I appreciate they don't agree with what this family were doing but these extremists took the law into their hands and basically broke it. The remains of the grandmother have never been returned either. This sort of publicity for them foes their campaign no good at all.

That's disgusting.They showed no respect for the sanctity of the dead.That is just so disrespectful.
I don't agree with breeding animals just for experimentation, but to desecrate that poor woman's burial place is just not on.
I hope karma comes and bites them on the ass!
yukky.

I think its terrible. I dont agree with animal testing when it comes to beauty products for example. I would gladly have them test products on me to see if i came out in a rash rather than rub shampoo in some bunnys eyes.

BUT when it comes to medical advances, you have to test on animals. I doubt very few humans would let you pump them with possible fatal drugs to test if they worked or not, and they have to use something. If the scientists hadnt tested on animals, then we wouldnt have the cures for illnesses that we have now.

I know its cruel - but, if a member of your family desperately needed a drug as a cure to cancer etc ... then you would want them to have it, and need to know that its safe to use.

I would love to know how one of these activists would react if they had a life threatening illness, but the drug they needed had been tested on animals. Would he / his family refuse it ?

Ive just realised that ive not answered the question, and gone off in a completely different tangent :wacko:

I have been active in animal rights for years. I have been on numerous rallies and protests where a small number of people are there for no other reason than to incite (sp) trouble and violence etc. They ruin it for the legit protesters, and lose any respect and any chance of the ones of us who are trying to peacefully protest of being taken seriously and listened to.

I am against the breeding of animals for experiements, but terrorising people is not the way to get it stopped, its about educating people,finding alternatives etc.

I was involved with the protests at Hillgrove Cat Farm - that was closed down through pressure from protestors.

We have a right to peacefully protest.

I think digging up someones dead relative, firebombing, threatening people, makes 'us' worse than 'them' really.

I am against the breeding of animals for experiements.

So what should they use to test treatments for various illnesses ? Would you volunteer yourself to try a potentially lethal dose of something ?

Im a MASSIVE animal lover and have rescued two animals now, and have my own little zoo - but i understand the importance of animal testing when it comes to treating cancer etc ..

Like i mentioned in my first post, im very anti cosmetic testing.

I'm with you on this one Bons. I can't see a realistic alternative to some testing, although I do rather bury my head in the sand and would rather not think about it. I think as a nation we are very sentimental when it comes to animals, probably too much so.

I do rather bury my head in the sand and would rather not think about it.

No - me neither. But this thread made me think about it - which is what this forum is all about .... food for thought.

Wasn't that the title of one of UB40's early albums? Do you think they're pro or against?

Well, firstly, we are generically, biologically and physiologically different from animals, there have been some terrible errors when, having tested drugs etc n animals, they administer them to humans, with fatal consequences.

Withe the conmputer age, cloning etc, available to us, can we now clone cells, tissue etc and test on this. Its not so far fetched and far-into-the-future as you may think.

As for alternatives, might be contraversial, but what about convicted murderers, paedophiles, rapists, etc, languishing in prisons on tax-payers money year after year. The likes of Ian Brady, Ian Huntly, the lads who killed Jamie Buldger for example? Don't say its unhumane, after what they all did!

Part of my problem with animal testing is the horrific and dire environment they live in. From when they are born to when they die they know nothing but misery. Animals are not ours to abuse in this way.

And lastly, human volunteers are indeed used in many testing centres now. You can also, if you wish, leave your body to medical science, for testing etc, which is what I have opted for, and carry a card to say as much.

As for alternatives, might be contraversial, but what about convicted murderers, paedophiles, rapists, etc, languishing in prisons on tax-payers money year after year. The likes of Ian Brady, Ian Huntly, the lads who killed Jamie Buldger for example? Don't say its unhumane, after what they all did!

You're not serious are you?

I don't agree with animal testing it's horrible and cruel, what they do to those poor animals is terrible all for the sake of fashion and vanity. I do think though that some animal rights protesters go way to far and as for digging granny up that is just sick.

I do not agree on those grounds - cosmetic etc. But for medical purposes I am 110% behind testing. People have been used as guinea pigs and with some catastrophic outcomes - that must never be allowed to happen again!

The biggest thing we've had over here with animal rights protesters is the rocker Ted Nugent. He lives up in Minnesota or Wisconsin and likes to hunt, has several hunting videos, goes on endlessly about hunting, keeps his own 'zoo' of animals to hunt. But the protesters stay at his gate all the time and a few years back there was a big plot uncovered to kidnap his children with threats to kill them. Now, I hate to see a deer run over and I have respect for people who love pets and rescue them, etc., but a mans children are not even in the same universe as a deer or bison. And those people digging up that 'granny', around here they put you under the jail for messing with someones grave. I'm serious!! You can get in more trouble desecrating a grave than near about most crimes I can think of, with the exception of murder, etc.

The biggest thing we've had over here with animal rights protesters is the rocker Ted Nugent. He lives up in Minnesota or Wisconsin and likes to hunt, has several hunting videos, goes on endlessly about hunting, keeps his own 'zoo' of animals to hunt. But the protesters stay at his gate all the time and a few years back there was a big plot uncovered to kidnap his children with threats to kill them. Now, I hate to see a deer run over and I have respect for people who love pets and rescue them, etc., but a mans children are not even in the same universe as a deer or bison. And those people digging up that 'granny', around here they put you under the jail for messing with someones grave. I'm serious!! You can get in more trouble desecrating a grave than near about most crimes I can think of, with the exception of murder, etc.

having once seen Ted in concert at the Hammersmith Odeon and some footage of him on his farm spraying automatic machine gun fire around, I can safely say that he is what we in Britain would call a 'nutter'. However, this certainly doesn't warrant having his children kidnapped. Mind you if an activist 'took out' Ted, I think that might be one up for the planet.

Yes, SF, he's a nutter and I can hardly tolerate him talking on the t.v. or radio b/c he has some 'Planet Ted' views about things that don't gee-haw with me but for the people behind the 'alleged kidnapping/murder' plot of his kids, that was beyond reasonable to justify. Yeah, he could use a little attitude adjustment though. :boxing:

....and the latest is..............


Animal rights activists in new wave of attacks
By Rosie Murray-West, City Correspondent
(Filed: 28/09/2005)

Animal rights activists have launched a fresh wave of attacks, targeting a senior pharmaceutical executive and an Oxford college.

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) claimed responsibility yesterday for a device left outside the home of Paul Blackburn, the corporate controller of Britain's biggest pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

GSK, we realise that this may not be enough to make you stop using HLS but this is just the beginning," the post said. "We have identified and tracked down many of your senior executives and also junior staff, as well as those from other HLS customers. Drop HLS or you will face the consequences. For all the animals inside HLS, we will be back

We know every weakness you have," the ALF website said. "You have people within your ranks acting against you. You cannot build the South Park lab without incurring massive losses. We are stronger than you, we have more resolve than you and we never give up!

"If we have to destroy every bit of property you own we will, in order to stop you inflicting your profit-driven cruelties on defenceless creatures. You cannot stop us, we are free to attack you at will, whenever and wherever.

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=TLY1XLLJRVX4LQFIQMGCM54AVCBQ UJVC?xml=/news/2005/09/28/nalf28.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/09/28/ixnewstop.html (http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=TLY1XLLJRVX4LQFIQMGCM54AVCBQ UJVC?xml=/news/2005/09/28/nalf28.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/09/28/ixnewstop.html)

This lot should be added to the list of recognized terrorist organisations and hunted down accordingly, they are just out and out evil.