When the news broke back in 2011 about a planning application to extend a beagle breeding facility at East Grimston near Hull, the trustees of Beagle Welfare identified a need to raise awareness of the broader issue of using beagles for experimentation. We wanted to achieve a groundswell of support from the general public, especially as there is substantive scientific evidence from respected global experts that more reliable results can be achieved by testing in vitro, within a controlled laboratory environment, without using animals.

Consequently, having invited The Kennel Club to join Beagle Welfare as campaign principals, we have launched phase one of a nationwide campaign named RUN FREE in order to create a critical mass by inviting relevant parties, including beagle breed clubs and dog welfare organisations, as campaign partners to form an alliance. The objective is to abolish the breeding and use of beagles for animal experimentation in the UK.

Phase two of the campaign will be the launch of a nationwide PR strategy to include all national newspapers, television and radio stations, plus all social media sites and those magazines whose readership will be likely to support the campaign.

The main aim of the campaign is to lobby Members of Parliament and relevant Government departments with an established strategy to review the outdated Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 with the ultimate result of eliminating beagles from these abhorrent procedures. To achieve this aim we will establish a dialogue with scientific institutes who promote alternative methods of testing and scientific technology, to obtain reliable data which will substantiate a line of logical reasoning.

Progress of this campaign will be published in the next issue of In Full Cry, but if, in the meantime, you would like either to comment on or discuss it, please contact Beagle Welfare’s national secretary, Christine Wynne.

PATRON:

Lady Julian Fellowes of West Stafford L.V.O.

CAMPAIGN PRINCIPALS:

The Beagle Welfare Scheme & The Kennel Club.

POSITION: 

All members of the campaign are principally against the use of Beagles for routine testing purposes.

OBJECTIVE: 

To abolish the breeding and use of Beagles for animal experimentation in the UK.

To achieve the Objective of the campaign by the following methods:

• Establish a critical mass by recruiting all interested and concerned parties as Campaign Partners.
• Lobby Members of Parliament and relevant Government Departments with an established strategy to review the outdated Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 - with the ultimate result of eliminating Beagles being bred and used for animal experimentation.
• Raise awareness of the issue to the general public via national, local and social media.
• Establish a dialogue with relevant Scientific Institutes who promote alternative methods of testing and scientific technology to obtain reliable data which will substantiate a line of logical reasoning.

The campaign strategy will include:

• Recruit relevant parties including Beagle breed clubs and dog welfare organisations to form an alliance, together with sympathetic Trusts, Charities and organisations such as Safer Medicines for our Children,  Dr.Hadwen Trust for Humane Research’, ‘Uncaged’  FRAME,  Four Paws Animal Rescue,  Dogs Trust,  BUAV, Animal Aid and ECEAE. The Kennel Club have already agreed to join this campaign as a joint Campaign Principal together with The Beagle Welfare Scheme.
• Prepare regular press releases regarding the group’s campaigning work, including a release on the launch of the ‘RUN FREE’ group (hopefully in February 2012) as well as attempt to launch a national campaign in a widely circulated National Daily as a further means of raising awareness to the public.
• Gather relevant scientific evidence which proves that more reliable results can be achieved by recent advances in alternative method testing/scientific technology without using Beagles. 
• Outline key messages to lobby MP’s,  and relevant Government Departments, i.e. The Home Office.
• Communicate and promote the campaign within the media and other interested parties, such as Friends of Beagle Welfare, etc.  In addition provide informative leaflets/briefings at relevant events.
• Outline a number of ‘call to action’ points which help the group lobby and pressure Government officials and MP’s.
• Contact and enlist the support of celebrities who have endorsed the campaign principles.

Alliance members will agree to the following:

• To share all information in order to inform members and help promote the same message.
• Work together and canvass support in achieving the Alliance’s aims.

The PR strategy should be a multifaceted branched approach which targets:

• National Media (INS - International News Agency which helps feed national press stories to radio, TV channels and magazines).
• Dog World and Our Dogs.
• Specialised Journals (medical - The Lancet, Veterinary Times etc).
• Magazines whose readership will be likely to support the campaign - Country Life, The Field, Horse & Hound, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, The Lady, Women’s Weekly, People’s Friend etc).
• Local Media.
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc).
• Free-lance writers.

The Beagle Welfare Scheme have started the petition “HM Government UK: Abolish the breeding & use of Beagles for animal experimentation in the UK”.

We need your help to get it off the ground.

Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here’s the link:

• Sign the e-petition NOW

Here’s why it’s important.  There is overwhelming evidence that these abhorrent practices could be eliminated due to major advances in scientific research whereby more accurate and dependable results could be achieved by using this new technology without using Beagles.

Thank you.