LUCY BANNERMAN August 24 2005
A FAMILY is to shut down its guinea pig breeding farm, the target of animal rights extremists, in the hope grave-robbers will return their grandmother's body.
An MP warned it was a victory for the "animal rights terrorists", and could encourage other groups to take on similar organisations.
The government promised it would tackle extremists who targeted organisations which carried out vital, lifesaving scientific research.
The campaigners who have picketed Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, owned by David Hall and Partners, said it was "a victory for the animals" and "a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement".
The Hall family, who have been subjected to a six-year hate campaign, said they hoped the decision to close at the end of the year would prompt the return of the body of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond.
Mrs Hammond was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, who co-owns Darley Oaks Farm. Her body was stolen from a grave at St Peter's Church in Yoxall last October.
The decision to close prompted a response from Simon Festing, spokesman for the Research Defence Society. He said: "Guinea pig research has contributed to 23 Nobel prizes in medicine and we still need to use them in certain important areas, such as the study of lung disease, deafness, allergies and the development and testing of new treatments."
However, the family said: "David Hall and Partners' involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005.
"The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of animals involved.
"The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Mrs Hammond last October.
"We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys's body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.
"David Hall and Partners are planning a return to traditional farming. They have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research."
A spokesman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs, who gave his name only as Johnny, said: "This is the most fantastic day of my life.
"It's a victory for the animals and it's a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement. I feel so unbelievably proud to be part of the movement. It's tearful, those guinea pigs will not have to be incarcerated for another day by the end of the year."
It is not the first time pressure from activists has brought an animal testing company to the brink of financial ruin.
Huntingdon Life Sciences struggled to find a commercial bank willing to offer its services after sustained intimidation forced the Royal Bank of Scotland not to renew loans and to withdraw its overdraft facilities from the business in 2001.
The bank's decision meant the government had to offer unprecedented financial support to the private company.
Michael Fabricant, local Tory MP, branded the protesters "animal rights terrorists". He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "My concern is that many of these animal rights terrorists, and I call them terrorists advisedly, will think it's a big victory for them and this will actually incentivise them to do similar things with similar organisations."
A FAMILY is to shut down its guinea pig breeding farm, the target of animal rights extremists, in the hope grave-robbers will return their grandmother's body.
An MP warned it was a victory for the "animal rights terrorists", and could encourage other groups to take on similar organisations.
The government promised it would tackle extremists who targeted organisations which carried out vital, lifesaving scientific research.
The campaigners who have picketed Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, owned by David Hall and Partners, said it was "a victory for the animals" and "a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement".
The Hall family, who have been subjected to a six-year hate campaign, said they hoped the decision to close at the end of the year would prompt the return of the body of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond.
Mrs Hammond was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, who co-owns Darley Oaks Farm. Her body was stolen from a grave at St Peter's Church in Yoxall last October.
The decision to close prompted a response from Simon Festing, spokesman for the Research Defence Society. He said: "Guinea pig research has contributed to 23 Nobel prizes in medicine and we still need to use them in certain important areas, such as the study of lung disease, deafness, allergies and the development and testing of new treatments."
However, the family said: "David Hall and Partners' involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005.
"The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of animals involved.
"The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Mrs Hammond last October.
"We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys's body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.
"David Hall and Partners are planning a return to traditional farming. They have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research."
A spokesman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs, who gave his name only as Johnny, said: "This is the most fantastic day of my life.
"It's a victory for the animals and it's a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement. I feel so unbelievably proud to be part of the movement. It's tearful, those guinea pigs will not have to be incarcerated for another day by the end of the year."
It is not the first time pressure from activists has brought an animal testing company to the brink of financial ruin.
Huntingdon Life Sciences struggled to find a commercial bank willing to offer its services after sustained intimidation forced the Royal Bank of Scotland not to renew loans and to withdraw its overdraft facilities from the business in 2001.
The bank's decision meant the government had to offer unprecedented financial support to the private company.
Michael Fabricant, local Tory MP, branded the protesters "animal rights terrorists". He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "My concern is that many of these animal rights terrorists, and I call them terrorists advisedly, will think it's a big victory for them and this will actually incentivise them to do similar things with similar organisations."
A FAMILY is to shut down its guinea pig breeding farm, the target of animal rights extremists, in the hope grave-robbers will return their grandmother's body.
An MP warned it was a victory for the "animal rights terrorists", and could encourage other groups to take on similar organisations.
The government promised it would tackle extremists who targeted organisations which carried out vital, lifesaving scientific research.
The campaigners who have picketed Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, owned by David Hall and Partners, said it was "a victory for the animals" and "a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement".
The Hall family, who have been subjected to a six-year hate campaign, said they hoped the decision to close at the end of the year would prompt the return of the body of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond.
Mrs Hammond was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, who co-owns Darley Oaks Farm. Her body was stolen from a grave at St Peter's Church in Yoxall last October.
The decision to close prompted a response from Simon Festing, spokesman for the Research Defence Society. He said: "Guinea pig research has contributed to 23 Nobel prizes in medicine and we still need to use them in certain important areas, such as the study of lung disease, deafness, allergies and the development and testing of new treatments."
However, the family said: "David Hall and Partners' involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005.
"The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of
animals involved.
"The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Mrs Hammond last October.
"We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys's body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.
"David Hall and Partners are planning a return to traditional farming. They have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research."
A spokesman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs, who gave his name only as Johnny, said: "This is the most fantastic day of my life.
"It's a victory for the animals and it's a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement. I feel so unbelievably proud to be part of the movement. It's tearful, those guinea pigs will not have to be incarcerated for another day by the end of the year."
It is not the first time pressure from activists has brought an animal testing company to the brink of financial ruin.
Huntingdon Life Sciences struggled to find a commercial bank willing to offer its services after sustained intimidation forced the Royal Bank of Scotland not to renew loans and to withdraw its overdraft facilities from the business in 2001.
The bank's decision meant the government had to offer unprecedented financial support to the private company.
Michael Fabricant, local Tory MP, branded the protesters "animal rights terrorists". He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "My concern is that many of these animal rights terrorists, and I call them terrorists advisedly, will think it's a big victory for them and this will actually incentivise them to do similar things with similar organisations."
A FAMILY is to shut down its guinea pig breeding farm, the target of animal rights extremists, in the hope grave-robbers will return their grandmother's body.
An MP warned it was a victory for the "animal rights terrorists", and could encourage other groups to take on similar organisations.
The government promised it would tackle extremists who targeted organisations which carried out vital, lifesaving scientific research.
The campaigners who have picketed Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, owned by David Hall and Partners, said it was "a victory for the animals" and "a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement".
The Hall family, who have been subjected to a six-year hate campaign, said they hoped the decision to close at the end of the year would prompt the return of the body of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond.
Mrs Hammond was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, who co-owns Darley Oaks Farm. Her body was stolen from a grave at St Peter's Church in Yoxall last October.
The decision to close prompted a response from Simon Festing, spokesman for the Research Defence Society. He said: "Guinea pig research has contributed to 23 Nobel prizes in medicine and we still need to use them in certain important areas, such as the study of lung disease, deafness, allergies and the development and testing of new treatments."
However, the family said: "David Hall and Partners' involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005.
"The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of animals involved.
"The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Mrs Hammond last October.
"We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys's body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.
"David Hall and Partners are planning a return to traditional farming. They have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research."
A spokesman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs, who gave his name only as Johnny, said: "This is the most fantastic day of my life.
"It's a victory for the animals and it's a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement. I feel so unbelievably proud to be part of the movement. It's tearful, those guinea pigs will not have to be incarcerated for another day by the end of the year."
It is not the first time pressure from activists has brought an animal testing company to the brink of financial ruin.
Huntingdon Life Sciences struggled to find a commercial bank willing to offer its services after sustained intimidation forced the Royal Bank of Scotland not to renew loans and to withdraw its overdraft facilities from the business in 2001.
The bank's decision meant the government had to offer unprecedented financial support to the private company.
Michael Fabricant, local Tory MP, branded the protesters "animal rights terrorists". He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "My concern is that many of these animal rights terrorists, and I call them terrorists advisedly, will think it's a big victory for them and this will actually incentivise them to do similar things with similar organisations."
A FAMILY is to shut down its guinea pig breeding farm, the target of animal rights extremists, in the hope grave-robbers will return their grandmother's body.
An MP warned it was a victory for the "animal rights terrorists", and could encourage other groups to take on similar organisations.
The government promised it would tackle extremists who targeted organisations which carried out vital, lifesaving scientific research.
The campaigners who have picketed Darley Oaks Farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, owned by David Hall and Partners, said it was "a victory for the animals" and "a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement".
The Hall family, who have been subjected to a six-year hate campaign, said they hoped the decision to close at the end of the year would prompt the return of the body of 82-year-old Gladys Hammond.
Mrs Hammond was the mother-in-law of Christopher Hall, who co-owns Darley Oaks Farm. Her body was stolen from a grave at St Peter's Church in Yoxall last October.
The decision to close prompted a response from Simon Festing, spokesman for the Research Defence Society. He said: "Guinea pig research has contributed to 23 Nobel prizes in medicine and we still need to use them in certain important areas, such as the study of lung disease, deafness, allergies and the development and testing of new treatments."
However, the family said: "David Hall and Partners' involvement in breeding guinea pigs for biomedical research will cease at the end of 2005.
"The business, which has operated for over three decades, will undergo a phased closure until then to ensure the welfare of animals involved.
"The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of the grave of Mrs Hammond last October.
"We now hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys's body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place.
"David Hall and Partners are planning a return to traditional farming. They have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research."
A spokesman for Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs, who gave his name only as Johnny, said: "This is the most fantastic day of my life.
"It's a victory for the animals and it's a fundamental victory for the animal rights movement. I feel so unbelievably proud to be part of the movement. It's tearful, those guinea pigs will not have to be incarcerated for another day by the end of the year."
It is not the first time pressure from activists has brought an animal testing company to the brink of financial ruin.
Huntingdon Life Sciences struggled to find a commercial bank willing to offer its services after sustained intimidation forced the Royal Bank of Scotland not to renew loans and to withdraw its overdraft facilities from the business in 2001.
The bank's decision meant the government had to offer unprecedented financial support to the private company.
Michael Fabricant, local Tory MP, branded the protesters "animal rights terrorists". He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "My concern is that many of these animal rights terrorists, and I call them terrorists advisedly, will think it's a big victory for them and this will actually incentivise them to do similar things with similar organisations."
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/45612.html