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Hill Grove Farm closes! animal experimenting farm closes 13th Aug 1999 Animal rights campaigners yesterday were celebrating victory after the closure of one of Hll Grove Farm - Britain's only cat breeding farm for scientific research. On Wednesday, more than 30 RSPCA staff worked through the night to remove 800 cats from Hill Grove farm in Whitley, near Oxford after the farmer Christopher Brand, 61, said he wanted to retire. The farm had been targeted by a host of animal welfare organisations from the National Anti-Vivisection Society to the Animal Liberation Front and has been the scene of many large protests, some violent. In 1998 1,124 cats were used in experiments involving biological or veterinary research at the farm. Since March 1997 Thames valley police has spent nearly £3,000,000 protecting the farmhouse and policing demonstrations which have attracted up to 1,000 people. At least 350 people had been arrested and 21 had been jailed for public order offences. Read the background to the protests and farm here. |
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