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Charles River Laboratories
Charles River Laboratories, which is one of the biggest animal testing companies in the world, has a research facility in Ireland located in Carrentrila, Ballina, Co. Mayo. This laboratory has been in operation since 1976, along with a sister-lab in Glenamoy, which shut down in 2016. Both labs were formerly known as “Biological Laboratories Europe”, but in 2002, the company was sold to Charles River, for 28million euro.
Thousands of animals are experimented on in this laboratory every year.
Charles River conduct painful, live experiments on animals for the Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, Medical Device, Biotechnology and Food Industries. They are a contract testing business, which means they will test anything, on any animal, for a price.
Animals are bred on site, both for their own use and to sell to universities and other commercial laboratories, and we have been informed by sympathisers that the species used include mice, rats, dogs, cats and horses. Over the years we have also received claims of animal bodies and toxic waste being dumped in the nearby lake, as well as reports of dogs being heard barking and howling for hours on end in breeding sheds.
Their torturous lives are full of pain, fear, suffering and misery. Any animal that manages to survive an experiment, is killed shortly afterwards.
Hidden behind closed doors, they have gotten away with this for far to long. But we will not stop until we expose this disgusting industry, and finally put a stop to it.
Animals are sentient beings who deserve the freedom to live a full life in their natural environment. There is absolutely no moral or ethical justification whatsoever for using any animal in this way.
Check out this drone footage we got, of the Charles River lab in Mayo. It gives you an idea of the sheer scale of this disgusting facility.
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we have already been given and will greatly benefit our ongoing campaign to end
this inexcusable practice.
We received the following information from ex-employees of Charles River in Mayo
- Species used in the Ballina Lab: mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, snakes, some horses - but in general, smaller animals.
- Once mice and rats go under a certain weight, they are killed. They are supposed to be “humanely euthanized” but most of the time staff just break their necks.
- Hundreds, possibly thousands, of cats are killed every year in clinical trials. The trials are repeated every 6 weeks with new cats. By the end of each trial, the cats are so weak and in so much pain, they can’t even stand up. They are then killed.
- A lot of lost/stolen dogs and other animals end up in the Charles River laboratories. Apparently dog wardens are secretly responsible for this, and are being paid to do so. There was an incident in 2008/2009 in which a dog was taken, put in local pound, and then given to the Charles River lab in Ballina. The owner of the dog managed to discover this, and had to call the Gardai to help get the dog back.
- Veterinarians run both labs, and are now directors. They receive huge payments from pharmaceutical companies for tests. This is one of the biggest kept secrets at Charles River.
- Every tueday - blood is taken from horses, and then transported all around the country - particularly to hospitals. The purpose for this is currently unknown.
- Secrecy inherent when it comes to working at Charles River - most staff are not allowed mix with eachother or know the details of what their colleagues' jobs entail.
- Most of the activity (transport of animals, experiments etc) at both laboratories happen at night - the reason for this is for maximum secrecy.
So, what are we doing about it?
Protests
We are currently trying to locate every animal testing laboratory in Ireland. We plan on doing a 'protest tour' once this list is complete.
Awareness
The majority of people are unaware that animal testing takes place in Ireland. I huge help in bring this industry to an end, is exposing them.
Lobbying
If the government were to introduce a ban on animal testing, it would cease to exist in this country. So lobbying TDs on this issue is essential.
We have various campaigns running at any one time. Please click to learn about more issues!
NARA is a legal, grassroots level organisation that only operates within the law. Information on this website is for the purpose of legal protest and information only. It should not be used to commit any criminal acts or harassment. NARA is not affiliated to any other animal rights group. NARA has no links or involvement with the Animal Liberation Front or the Animal Rights Militia. Any articles published on this web site relating to illegal activities are posted for the sole reason of publishing news related to animal rights, and are not intended to incite or encourage similar acts.
CONTACT
- [email protected]
- National Animal Rights Association, Suite 10684, 26/27 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, D02 X361.
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