In a powerful and emotional stand that has captured international attention, British television stars Amanda Holden and Jonathan Ross have publicly demanded the immediate closure of MBR Acres, a controversial beagle breeding and testing facility in Cambridgeshire. Their impassioned statements, delivered in separate interviews and social media posts, have ignited a rapidly growing global movement, with an online petition now exceeding 170,000 signatures and continuing to climb by the hour. The campaign has drawn widespread support from celebrities, animal rights organisations, and everyday viewers who describe the facility’s practices as “unthinkable cruelty hidden behind closed doors.”

MBR Acres, owned by Marshall BioResources, breeds beagles specifically for use in laboratory experiments across the UK and Europe. Undercover footage released by animal rights group Cruelty Free International in 2024 showed dogs confined in small cages, subjected to repeated procedures, and killed once testing is complete. The images — of terrified puppies, bloodied surgical sites, and animals pacing endlessly in barren pens — shocked the public and prompted renewed calls for a ban on animal testing in cosmetics and medical research where alternatives exist. While the UK has banned animal testing for cosmetics since 1998, beagles continue to be used in toxicity studies for pharmaceuticals and other products.

Amanda Holden, a longtime animal advocate and judge on Britain’s Got Talent, was among the first to speak out. In a tearful Instagram video that has been viewed more than 12 million times, she said: “This cannot continue. We must stand up for those who have no voice. These dogs are gentle, trusting creatures who feel pain and fear just like our own pets. To breed them only to suffer and die in labs is barbaric in 2025.” Her post included graphic images from the undercover investigation and a link to the petition, which surged by tens of thousands of signatures within hours.

Jonathan Ross, the veteran broadcaster and animal lover, echoed Holden’s call during a recent episode of his talk show. “I’ve seen the footage and it made me physically sick,” he told viewers. “These are not statistics — they’re living beings. If we wouldn’t do this to our own dogs, why do we allow it to happen to theirs? It’s time to end this now.” Ross urged viewers to sign the petition and contact their MPs, framing the issue as a moral test for modern Britain.

The campaign has gained momentum from other high-profile supporters, including Dame Joanna Lumley, who called MBR Acres “a stain on our national conscience,” and Ricky Gervais, who tweeted: “If hell exists, there’s a special place for people who do this to dogs.” The petition, hosted on Change.org, has crossed 170,000 signatures in under a week and continues to gain traction internationally. Animal rights groups report that the increased visibility has led to hundreds of complaints to the Home Office and renewed pressure on the government to review licences for facilities like MBR Acres.

The Home Office has defended the use of animals in research, stating that all procedures are regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and that alternatives are used where possible. A spokesperson said: “We only authorise research where there is no alternative and the benefits outweigh the harm.” However, campaigners argue that non-animal methods — including organ-on-chip technology and computer modelling — are advancing rapidly and should replace animal testing entirely.

For Holden and Ross, the fight is personal. Both have long campaigned against animal cruelty, with Holden supporting Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Ross a vocal advocate for animal welfare charities. Their involvement has given the petition mainstream visibility, turning a niche animal rights issue into a national conversation.

As the petition continues to grow and pressure mounts on lawmakers, one thing is clear: the images of suffering beagles have touched a nerve. The question now is whether public outrage will translate into policy change — or whether the labs will keep running behind closed doors.

The fight to close MBR Acres is far from over. But with voices like Amanda Holden and Jonathan Ross leading the charge, the dogs may finally have a fighting chance.