The Truth About MBR Acres
Everything on this page is sourced from publicly available records, court documents, parliamentary questions, and verified reports. These are facts, not opinions.
MBR Acres — Sawtry Way (B1090), Wyton, Cambridgeshire PE28 2DTThe facility. Hidden behind hedgerows in rural Cambridgeshire. Approximately 2,000 beagle puppies bred here every year for sale to laboratories.
MBR Acres: The Facility
Location
Sawtry Way (B1090), Wyton, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2DT. Hidden behind hedgerows in rural Cambridgeshire.
Purpose
Breeds ~2,000 beagle puppies every year to sell to laboratories for animal testing. These dogs are born to suffer.
No Independent Oversight
Zero independent oversight. The public has no right to inspect or verify animal welfare inside.
The Bleeding Licence
During the open rescue trials, the prosecution conceded a critical fact: MBR Acres holds a licence to bleed dogs under terminal anaesthesia.
This means that in addition to breeding beagles for sale to laboratories, MBR Acres is licensed to carry out procedures on dogs that involve bleeding them while under anaesthesia from which they do not recover. This fact is now part of the court record.
The public was never told. It took a criminal trial for this information to emerge.
The Green Hill Connection
Green Hill, Brescia, Italy
The same company previously ran Green Hill in Brescia, Italy. In 2012, authorities raided the facility after reports of severe animal mistreatment.
Two Juries Said Not Guilty
First Trial — Cambridge, 2026
Four rescuers stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court. The jury unanimously returned not guilty on all burglary charges.
Second Trial — Peterborough, 2026
Five rescuers faced the same charges in March 2026. After a 7-day trial, the jury again returned not guilty. Two juries agreed: rescue is not dishonest.
Public Opposition
Public Backing
The campaign has the public support of Dame Joanna Lumley, Chris Packham, Jonathan Ross, Amanda Holden, Will Young, Peter Egan, Megan McCubbin, and Meg Mathews, among others. Chris Packham provided a character reference at the Peterborough trial.
Lush Prize 2026
Camp Beagle — the longest-running grassroots protest at MBR Acres, and an allied campaign — has been shortlisted for the 2026 Lush Prize, the largest prize fund in the non-animal testing sector (£250,000 total). Sixty nominations from twenty-five countries made the shortlist. Winners announced in May 2026. We celebrate their work and are proud to stand alongside them.
Where the Beagles Go
MBR Acres breeds. It does not test. The dogs are sold at around sixteen weeks of age to contract research organisations -- the laboratories that carry out toxicity testing for pharmaceutical, chemical and consumer goods companies. The named customers in public reporting include:
Charles River
US-headquartered contract research giant. Operates UK and European facilities. Documented destination of MBR Acres beagle puppies, including a delivery run observed leaving Wyton in February 2026.
Labcorp
One of the largest contract research organisations in the world. Carries out regulatory toxicity testing on dogs at UK and overseas sites. Named customer of MBR Acres in industry reporting.
Sequani
UK-based contract research organisation in Ledbury, Herefordshire. Carries out regulatory repeat-dose toxicity testing on beagles. Named customer in parliamentary briefings on MBR Acres.
Why this matters
MBR Acres exists because customers buy. The customers exist because pharmaceutical, chemical and consumer goods companies still commission animal toxicity testing, often when modern non-animal methods would do the same job. Pressure on the customer chain is pressure on MBR Acres.
Modern Alternatives Exist
Animal testing is not a scientific necessity. Modern technology provides better, more reliable alternatives.
Organ-on-a-Chip
Microfluidic devices using actual human cells to simulate organ function. More accurate than animal models.
AI Modelling
Machine learning predicts drug toxicity from molecular structure, trained on human data -- not animal experiments.
Advanced Cell Cultures
3D organoids grown from human stem cells provide human-relevant data that animal models cannot replicate.
UK Animal Testing Statistics
The UK is one of Europe's largest users of animals in research. Millions of procedures carried out every year.
Dogs are specially protected under UK law -- yet still used in testing. Beagles are chosen for their docile, trusting nature.
Despite public opposition and proven alternatives, dog experiments have not decreased as the science demands.
Timeline of Key Events
Green Hill Raided in Italy
Italian authorities raid the Green Hill beagle breeding facility in Brescia. Thousands of dogs found in deplorable conditions.
Green Hill Executives Convicted
Three executives convicted of animal cruelty. 6,023 dogs died at the facility.
Operations Relocate to UK
Marshall BioResources moves breeding operations to a new facility at Wyton, Cambridgeshire.
MBR Acres at Full Capacity
Wyton site reaches full capacity: approximately 2,000 beagle puppies bred per year for laboratories.
Protest Camp Established
Sustained protest presence established at the gates of MBR Acres. Continuous vigil begins.
Petition Passes 100,000 Signatures
Public petition crosses 100,000 signatures, triggering eligibility for parliamentary debate.
23 Beagle Puppies Rescued
23 puppies rescued from MBR Acres across two open rescues (18 in one, 5 in another) -- documented and carried out in full public view.
Westminster Hall Debate
Parliament debates "Commercial Breeding for Laboratories" in Westminster Hall.
Companies Sever Ties
Multiple companies cut ties with MBR Acres following sustained public pressure.
Petitions Pass 500,000 Signatures
Petitions across multiple platforms collectively pass 500,000 signatures.
Trial 1 -- Five Convicted
Cambridge Crown Court: five defendants convicted of burglary after 12-day trial.
Trial 2 -- First Ever Acquittal
Cambridge Crown Court: four defendants unanimously acquitted. First not guilty verdict for an open rescue in UK history.
Trial 3 -- Four Convicted
Peterborough Crown Court: four defendants convicted after 7-day trial and five hours of deliberation.
Trial 4 -- Five Acquitted
Peterborough Crown Court: five defendants acquitted after two weeks of trial and three days of deliberation. Chris Packham provided a character reference.
Trial 5 -- Three Convicted
Three defendants convicted by 10-2 majority for the June 2022 rescue of five beagles. The prosecution conceded MBR holds a licence to bleed dogs under terminal anaesthesia.
Ridglan Farms Action -- Wisconsin
Over 1,000 peaceful activists gathered at Ridglan Farms in Wisconsin demanding compliance with a January 2025 court ruling. Dane County Sheriff's deputies deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and flashbang grenades. 25 arrested.
Ridglan Agrees to Surrender Breeding Licence
Following the prosecutor's review, Ridglan Farms agreed to surrender its licence to breed beagles for outside sale to research institutions by 1 July 2026 — the first stepping stone.
Westminster Hall Debate
Petition #736578 (121,000+ signatures) debated in Westminster Hall. 14 MPs from every major party called for an end to dog testing. The Huntingdon MP said the government's own audit of MBR Acres 'does not tally' with constituent reports. The Minister of State responded by re-citing the November 2025 strategy document MPs had just criticised for lacking statutory targets.
Ridglan Agrees to Release 1,500 Beagles
Ridglan signed a further deal: 1,500 beagles to be released. Beagle Freedom Project taking 500 of them. Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy negotiated. Same day, the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment directing USDA to review breeder licences where state licensure has been lost, with cross-party support from Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI).
Transfers Begin
1,500 beagles begin moving from Ridglan to safety. Hundreds remain inside — the fight is not over. But the closest US equivalent to MBR Acres has been forced open by sustained nonviolent public pressure, court probable-cause findings, federal pressure and rescues who refused to walk away. The model now has a precedent.
Go Deeper
The full case, in detail. Each of these stands on its own.
The Evidence Is Clear
The facts speak for themselves. Now it is time to act.
From the Movement
The people, the dogs, the action. As more imagery comes in, this strip grows with it.