amanda holden is among the celebrities and MPs calling for the immediate closure of MBR Acres, the Cambridgeshire puppy-breeding facility that supplies dogs for animal testing. A letter signed by dozens of MPs and organisations including Animal Rising and PETA was sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on 03 Mar 2026 (07: 00 ET) demanding immediate closure and the safe rehoming of all beagles. The appeal comes after years of campaigning by Camp Beagle and the introduction of new protest-related laws passed by the House of Lords in February ET that activists say curb peaceful protest.
Amanda Holden among celebrities backing closure
The open letter lists public figures from television and conservation who have added their names to demands for closure. Named signatories include Amanda Holden, Dame Joanna Lumley, Chris Packham and Jonathan Ross, with other public figures such as Lucy Watson and Gail Porter also attached to the campaign. Dozens of cross-party MPs and peers have also signed, including Rachael Maskell (MP), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (MP), Lord McNally and Siân Berry, reinforcing the political reach of the letter sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Immediate reactions and unfolding legal and protest activity
Rose Patterson (Animal Rising Director) said: “Dozens of public figures have added their voices to the open letter, and over 170, 000 people have signed the petition to shut down MBR Acres. The British public is united on this and expects change at the highest level. We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, but MBR Acres holds a licence to bleed healthy dogs to death by inserting needles directly into their hearts. Those two things cannot coexist. The Government has a mandate to act, and shutting down MBR Acres is the easiest first step they could take. ” That petition figure is linked with campaigning by Camp Beagle, which says more than 170, 000 people signed its petition last year.
Camp Beagle leader John Curtin described recent legislation limiting protest as “a draconian sledgehammer. ” Arrests at the site underline tensions on the ground: on February 24 ET a 22-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were detained outside MBR Acres on suspicion of interference with the use of public infrastructure; both were released on bail until May 24 ET pending further enquiries. Legal action connected to past rescues is also active—sources indicate the fourth of five trials related to two separate rescues from MBR Acres is ongoing, while the previous three trials returned one acquittal and two convictions with sentences ranging from 18-month suspended sentences to conditional discharges.
MBR Acres, which is operated by Marshall BioResources, states on its website that it breeds animals and supplies dogs to licensed laboratories or businesses for research and is “dedicated to maintaining high standards of animal welfare. ” Opponents point to the company’s history: an Italian facility run by the company was shut down in 2015, with 3, 000 dogs rehomed and three senior employees jailed following undercover footage released then.
What happens next
The letter demands immediate closure of MBR Acres and the safe rehoming of the beagles; it was delivered to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and will require a formal response from her office. Activists at Camp Beagle and organisations such as Animal Rising and PETA are expected to press the case publicly while legal proceedings linked to prior rescue actions continue in court. Parliamentary signatories and named MPs will likely press ministers for clarity on enforcement of licences and the interaction of new protest-related legislation with demonstrations at animal-testing sites. The campaign’s backers, including amanda holden, say they will keep public pressure until ministers set out concrete steps or the facility’s licence status changes.
