Animal rights protestors marched from Harrogate town centre to Labcorp yesterday to protest against animal testing.
American-owned Labcorp, formerly known as Covance, has tested medicine on animals at Harlow Hill since the 1970s.
The company says this helps to develop life-saving and life-enhancing medicines for diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Demonstrators from Vivisection Exposed gave out leaflets, held placards and banners and used a microphone to spread their messages in the town centre at noon yesterday.
Protesting in the town centre.
At 2pm they walked along Cold Bath Road and up Otley Road to Labcorp’s buildings.
Activist Jane Rose said:
“We held a one-minute silence to remember the animals that had entered Labcorp but didn’t get to leave and all those imprisoned in laboratories around the world.
“We also remembered Barry Horne, an animal rights activist who died on 5th November 2001 after suffering liver failure brought on by numerous hunger strikes.”
One of the placards at the demo.
Ms Rose said many people in Harrogate didn’t know Labcorp existed or thought it had shut down. She added:
“We gave out facts over a microphone so residents and visitors of Harrogate could hear the truth and hopefully do some research themselves to see how animal testing is not helping to find drugs and cures for humans.”
Labcorp employs about 1,400 people in Harrogate, has 170 study rooms and has 15 PhD students working there.
The Stray Ferret approached Labcorp for comment but has not had a reply.
The company previously said it takes “very seriously” the ethical and regulatory responsibilities to treat research animals with the “greatest care and respect”. It added testing new drugs on animals “is the right thing to do”.
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Hound parade cancelled at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show
The traditional parade of hounds in the main ring at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show will not take place this year, organisers have confirmed.
The Telegraph reported on Sunday that the parade, which features hunting dogs, had been cancelled due to pressure from animal rights activists.
The newspaper said event organisers Yorkshire Agricultural Society had acted “following a sustained campaign of emails and letters, in particular from a Welsh activist known to be linked to hunt saboteur groups”.
It added the decision had prompted a “backlash” from local farmers who had accused the organisers of “caving unnecessarily over the issue”.
The show, which has taken place annually since 1837, is one of the country’s premier agricultural events.
Princess Anne will be the royal guest at this year’s show, which takes place from July 12 to 15.
The hound show will still take place but the parade in the main ring will not.
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The Stray Ferret asked the society whether the decision was due to pressure from animal rights activists.
A spokesperson from the organisation replied:
Andrew Jones MP bids to help Harrogate animal testing firm expand“The hound show will be held as usual at the Great Yorkshire Show and we have very strong entry numbers across all types of hounds this year including for Foxhounds, Beagles, Harriers, Draghounds and Bloodhounds.
“Across the site, there have been several changes to the content of the Great Yorkshire Show and this includes in the main ring. All decisions taken are always considered and balanced, and that includes the decision to postpone the hound parade in the main ring this year.
“We remain committed to demonstrating the best of farming and rural life in all its forms to our visitors.”
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones is to meet the science minister to help a controversial Harrogate animal testing firm expand.
Labcorp Drug Development, which is on Otley Road and was previously called Covance, has been subject to regular demonstrations by animal activists.
A group held banners with slogans such as “puppy killers work here” during a demonstration last month.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Jones said Labcorp was “one of the largest employers in my constituency”.
The Conservative MP added the firm planned to expand and asked whether George Freeman, who was appointed science minister in this month’s government reshuffle, would meet to discuss it. Mr Jones said:
“One of the largest employers in my constituency is Labcorp, a business that is at the heart of new medicine development both in the UK and across Europe and has played a role in the life science industry response to covid.
“It is considering UK expansion over the next five years at a number of sites across the UK.
“Will my honourable friend meet me to discuss that opportunity, and also some of the obstacles that may get in the way of it, with a view to securing expansion in the UK as a whole but in Harrogate in particular?
Mr Freeman replied:
“I should be delighted to meet my honourable friend soon to discuss that.
“Labcorp is a major global corporation whose investment in the new clinical pharmacology site is vital. It is in such companies that we need to be investing to drive private investment in research and development.”
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- Andrew Jones calls for long-term support for ‘severely impacted’ Harrogate events sector
- Protesters clash with employees at Harrogate animal testing lab
The Stray Ferret contacted Labcorp but did not receive a response by time of publication.
It previously told us it “takes very seriously our ethical and regulatory responsibilities to treat research animals with the greatest care and respect”.
It added:
“In addition to being the right thing to do, the proper care of research animals is fundamental to sound scientific research and the ability to develop life-saving and life-enhancing new medicines.
“New drugs must be tested in animals before human clinical trials to ensure the safety of patients and volunteers and there are clear links between excellent animal welfare and medical breakthroughs.”