Laboratory animal suppliers in the United Kingdom

Laboratory animal suppliers in the United Kingdom breed animals such as rodents, rabbits, dogs, cats and primates which they sell to licensed establishments for scientific experimentation. Many have found themselves at the centre of animal rights protests against animal testing.

Campaign tactics have included leafleting, demonstrations, verbal and physical intimidation, false accusations of criminal activity such as paedophilia, destruction of property, arson, the use of explosive devices and even a grave-robbing.

The effect of the campaigns has been to put many smaller breeders out of business and concentrate the market to a few larger players, or to force pharmaceutical companies and universities to breed animals in-house. For example, after Shamrock Farm closed in 2000, there were no commercial importers of laboratory primates left in the UK. To cope with this shortage, Cambridge University planned to build Europe's largest primate facility. However, they withdrew their plans following a concerted campaign by animal rights activists.

The trend has been for companies that experiment on animals to threaten to pull out of the UK. . The chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, Jean-Pierre Garnier has said: "I work hard to bring in investment to the United Kingdom and have talked many times to friends who are in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses about moving here. But there is one issue that exists only in the UK and nowhere else has a comparative effect from extreme actions by animal rights activists."

Current UK laboratory animal breeders
This is a list of commercial laboratory animal breeders in the UK.


 * B&K Universal, Grimston, Aldbrough, Hull, East Yorkshire. Breeders of primates, dogs, and rodents.
 * Charles River Laboratories, Inc., Margate, Kent. Breeders of chickens, rabbits and rodents.
 * Harlan, Blackthorn, Bicester, Oxfordshire. Breeders of rodents.
 * Harlan Interfauna, Sapley, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Breeders of beagles and rabbits.
 * Highgate Rabbit Farm, Normanby-by-Spital, Lincolnshire. Breeders of rabbits.

Former breeders that have closed down
This is a list of former commercial laboratory animal breeders in the UK.
 * Consort Kennels, Herefordshire. Breeders of beagles and primate holding centre. Closed in 1997.
 * Darley Oaks Farm, Newchurch, Staffordshire. Breeders of guinea pigs. Closed in 2006.
 * Hillgrove Farm, Witney, Oxfordshire. Breeders of cats. Closed in 1999.
 * Hylyne Rabbits, Lymm, Cheshire. Closed in 1994.
 * Oxford University Park Farm, Oxfordshire. Breeders of beagles, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats and primate holding centre. Closed in 1999.
 * Regal Group UK, Great Bookham, Surrey. Breeders of rabbits. Closed in 2000.
 * Shamrock Farm, Small Dole, West Sussex. Importers of primates. Closed in 2000.
 * Sky Commercial Rabbit Farm, Meltham, Nr Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Closed in 1994.