About Camp Beagle

About Camp Beagle

Camp Beagle is a permanent protest camp situated outside MBR Acres, a commercial beagle breeding facility at Wyton Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2DT. The camp was established on 27 June 2021 and has been continuously occupied ever since, making it the longest-running animal rights protest camp in UK history.

The camp operates entirely on a volunteer basis. There are no paid staff, no salaried organisers, and no corporate backing. Every person who stands at the gate does so in their own time, at their own expense, because they believe that what happens inside MBR Acres is wrong and that the public has a right to know about it.

Why Camp Beagle Exists

MBR Acres is licensed by the Home Office to breed up to 2,000 beagle puppies per year for sale to laboratories. The dogs are kept in windowless industrial sheds with no outdoor access. At approximately sixteen weeks old they are sold, transported by Impex Services International, and delivered to laboratories where they are used in experiments. They are killed at the end of those experiments. None are rehomed.

Camp Beagle exists to make that process visible. The facility operates behind closed gates and high fences. The law — specifically Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 — makes it a criminal offence for inspectors to disclose what they find. Camp Beagle is one of the few sources of public scrutiny that MBR Acres faces.

A Permanent Camp, Not a Temporary Demonstration

Unlike a march or a demonstration that ends in an afternoon, Camp Beagle has maintained a round-the-clock physical presence at the gates of MBR Acres for more than four years. Campaigners have been there in snow, rain, and heatwave. They have been there through legal challenges, police operations, and a global pandemic’s aftermath.

In October 2021, MBR Acres sought a High Court injunction to remove the camp. The court ruled on 5 October 2021 that protesters had the right to remain on the public road outside the facility. The camp has stood there ever since.

The Scale of Public Support

The campaign has attracted significant public backing:

• Over 170,000 people have signed the petition calling for the closure of MBR Acres.
• In January 2023, more than 102,000 petition signatures triggered the first dedicated parliamentary debate on commercial beagle breeding for UK laboratories in the history of Westminster Hall.
• More than 33 companies have joined the supplier boycott, ending their commercial relationships with MBR Acres after hearing from campaigners and customers.
• In March 2026, over 50 politicians and public figures signed an open letter to the Home Secretary calling for the immediate closure of MBR Acres and the safe rehoming of all beagles on site.
• In 2026, two separate juries at two separate courts acquitted defendants who had been prosecuted for rescuing beagle puppies from MBR Acres in December 2022.

How the Camp Is Run

Camp Beagle runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There is always at least one person present at the gate. The camp is entirely volunteer-led with no paid staff. Volunteers come from across the UK and beyond. Some stay for a weekend; others have remained for months or years.

In its first four months — June to September 2021 — Cambridgeshire Police spent £165,166 policing the camp. That figure, obtained via Freedom of Information request, reflects the scale of the police operation mounted in response to a group of peaceful protesters exercising their legal right to stand on a public road.

Donations fund the physical infrastructure of the camp, legal costs for defendants, travel expenses for volunteers, and the running of this website. Every penny is accounted for and no individual takes a salary from the campaign.

Get Involved

You do not need any experience or specialist knowledge to visit Camp Beagle. The camp welcomes anyone who wants to stand at the gate, learn about the campaign, and be counted. You can visit for an hour or stay for a week. See the Visit Camp Beagle page for directions and practical information.

If you cannot visit in person, there are many other ways to support the campaign: sign the petition, write to your MP, contact MBR Acres suppliers, or make a donation.