April has been a big month for the British grassroots Animal Freedom movement.
First up came the news that Oxford Greyhound Track has closed! This is a huge blow to an industry that is racing itself into the ground. This latest closure is a result of the track owner falling into debt with their broadcaster, SIS. In a struggling industry, with just 17 tracks remaining (down from a peak of 300), SIS couldn’t afford the dead weight and cut Oxford loose, leaving them unable to operate. To ensure this truly is the beginning of the end, a new pressure campaign has been launched to urge SIS to cut ties with what remains of the greyhound racing industry. Make sure to get involved online or on the streets: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shudownsis
Next came an epic ten-day convergence of activists and groups, including CAFT (Campaign to Abolish the Fur Trade), AAC (Animal Activism Collective) and others, in London. The event started with dozens of activists inside Louis Vuitton on Bond Street, while nearly a hundred more occupied the street outside, and closed down every single fur retailer on the street.
The convergence coincided with the launch of a campaign to get Visa to drop sponsorship of Milan Fashion Week. After a number of run-ins, home demos, and satellite actions across the world, it came as little surprise that the multi-billion-dollar company announced it was pulling its sponsorship almost as soon as the convergence wrapped up. This was the second major victory that week, as on the first day of the convergence, Etsy announced they were ending all fur sales on its platform. To get involved in London activism, contact Rage: https://www.instagram.com/rageactivism
MBR Acres, the notorious puppy factory farm in Cambridgeshire that breeds dogs for the UK research industry, was dealt quite the blow in early April when not just one but both its insurance providers cut its cover. They were followed by MBR’s auditors at the end of the month. This has caused a noticeable reaction from MBR, who have been complaining to the government that they’ll leave the country since last May. Morale is at an all-time low, and both MBR and the British state are struggling with how to keep this failing company in the UK. Our advice? Shut the door on your way out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mbrsuppliers
For the first time in over a decade, Animal Aid have released undercover footage from inside two British laboratories, showing the gruesome fate of the MBR beagles, as well as many other animals, including monkeys, pigs, and rabbits. The footage is truly horrifying and demonstrates exactly why we need to close down MBR and this entire industry once and for all. https://www.toxicity.inc/gb
Dorset Animal Action have secured a great local victory this month, after a member of the public filmed the ‘owner’ of Bournemouth Goats violently dragging animals down a busy street. Bournemouth Goats were licensed by the local council to graze the clifftops and exhibit non-consenting animals at local events. Following a brief but powerful campaign by DAA, supported by Animal Aid, which gained national media attention, the council revoked Bournemouth Goat’s license to publicly exhibit animals at events: https://www.instagram.com/dorsetanimalaction
Since the 1970’s, April 24th has been recognised as World Day for Animals in Laboratories. Thanks to the FEAT (Finally Ending Animal Testing) campaign, this is now a full month of FEAT actions, including street theatre, banner drops, letter-writing events, and protests, taking place throughout April. The annual World Day march is usually held on the nearest Saturday to the 24th, but activists from the Manchester Animal Rights Network (MARN) got ahead of the game, with 50 campaigners gathering in Manchester to hold lively protests outside (and inside) suppliers of MBR Acres: https://www.instagram.com/manchesteranimalrightsnetwork
Two days later was the World Day march itself, which this year took to the streets of London. 400 people marched from Trafalgar Square to DSIT, the government department which is currently conspiring to keep MBR Acres open. A sea of noise, signs, and defiance, the march held Westminster to account for lying about their plans to ‘phase out’ testing on animals, before heading for the Home Office. This is where all animal testing licences are granted! London was left in no doubt that testing on animals will end, and that it’s our generation that will end it. Next year’s World Day has already been confirmed for Saturday, 24th April, outside of LabCorp in Huntingdon. Mark it in your diaries!
