Dog breeding in Gannat for the laboratories: the administrative tribunal have cancelled planning permission!

Photo : Jenny, Charlotte, Linda et Zoé, saved by One Voice from the Gannat breeding facility in 1999

The breaking point of an expansion with detrimental consequences for the environment

Since animal advocates such as ourselves weren’t heard in ethical arguments linked to animal experimentation, we criticised the prefectural decree on the ecological aspects that such an expansion would have on the environment. In fact, our association defends all animals: those found inside breeding farms such as wild animals, as well as nature and humans. Pollution is a major problem which we must counterbalance by combining all of our efforts. However, the Marshall BioResources (MBR) project backed by the municipality of Gannat was not precise or protective enough for the surrounding ecosystem.

According to Muriel Arnal, founding president of One Voice:

A matter of money where dogs are the product

In 2017, the American giant Marshall BioResources took over the breeding of beagles destined to suffer and die on tiled laboratory benches, before this year buying a breeding centre in Yonne, Mézilles (the reputation of which was already badly damaged by associations such as ours) to avoid the inconveniences linked with transporting animals to laboratories by air and to cut back on costs. The aim? To keep making more money from dogs in France, knowing that our country is one of the three biggest users of dogs for animal experimentation within the European Union.

France leads in animal experimentation obscurity

There is a serious problem with transparency in the animal experimentation sector. There is no exception here, where the beagles are hidden from public view in ultra-secure locations of which images are rare. In that case, how can the public be incensed by their fate? Those who are on occasion born with genetic conditions to test this or that product. Those which we know so little about… in these conditions that they are born into, will they grow up? How are they treated? All we know is that they will never set foot on a blade of grass, or run on the beach, or roll onto their backs to be given a belly rub, or warm themselves in front of a fireplace… instead, they will be inoculated with toxic products until their organs can take no more and they fail one by one, causing them excruciating pain before they die and are dissected.

A long-term battle

One Voice’s battle in Gannat and against MBR is nothing new. Since the end of the 1990s, our association (then named Talis) has prevented the construction of a breeding farm in Montbeugny. We have also fought against Harlan in Gannat when this company owned it…

We will never give up on the animals who are victims of animal experimentation, whether in France or in Europe

In September, we took part in a rally, organised by Animal1st, outside the Gannat breeding farm following the movement that was started in Great Britain: Free the MBR Beagles, and in one on 16 September in front of the MBR headquarters in Lyon. We started a petition for transparent research and for replacing animal experimentation with alternative methods. Speaking of which, the European Parliament has just voted for a plan of action to put an end to animal experimentation in Europe. We are also part of the coalition that set up the European Citizens’ Initiative, which is working towards the same goal.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice