The Hillgrove Campaign #11 by TalonConspiracy

The Hillgrove Campaign Newsletter No. 11

10,000 Copies Printed

0121 632 6460

SAVE THE HILLGROVE CATS, BOX CB, 111 MAGDALEN RD, OXFORD, OX4 IRQ e-mail: hillgrove@asa-net.co.uk

WE'RE BACK ON BROWN'S DOORSTEP! bout 1,500 people came from all over the country to demonstrate at Hillgrove Farm. This is where we want to demonstrate, where we should demonstrate because it is at Hillgrove Farm where the cruelty r.- -----====---------

WANTED

Kitten KIiier

and at the end of an emotional two Everyone had a positive attitude minutes there was a huge roar and and was up beat and happy. There was the usual mix of people ranging cheer from the crowd that just summed up everyone's feelings. It from a one month old baby to old just indicated that people are age pensioners. Speakers and a stronger , more enthusiastic and sound system had to be hastily arranged for the day and Dr. Vernon more determined than ever and that =~...- -----------~sheerpowercannotbe beaten. Brown would have heard it and his heart must have sank as he realised that the end of his 30 years of profit from cruelty was inevitable. Feelings were running high and over 500 people took to the fields surrounding Hillgrove. People were charging through ditches and crawling through barbed wire fences to get as close to the cat sheds as they possibly could. Some police officers turned a blind eye while others tried to rugby tackle protesters. Some people staged a sit-down protest in the field. Coleman and Andrew Tyler from After about 3 hours everyone Animal Aid both spoke for the crowds. We were very grateful to gathered again on the Burford Rd and marched towards Witney. both men for turning up at short Some locals came out of their notice. houses and cheered the marchers When the huge crowd finally made its way down Dry Lane to protest as they passed their houses chanting and whistling. outside Hillgrove , two children lay All in all it was an excellent day and wreaths for the cats. The messages when a man who had not been on a read - "In memory of the thousands demo before was asked of Hillgrove cats and kittens tortured what he thought of and killed in laboratories all over the it he replied world" and "Until vivisection is "excellent, abolished we will keep on fighting. excellent, We won't forget excellent!" you." After the

CLOSE D WN

HILLGRO\JE EARM begins. Since July 1998 Thames Valley police have prevented people demonstrating at Hillgrove Farm by enforcing 5 mile exclusion zones around Witney and by using Section 14 of the Public Order Act. This has been a direct attack on people's right to protest and their freedom to assemble . When national demonstrations were banned at Hillgrove Farm people simply rerouted and protested in Oxford City Centre. This caused major disruption on the roads and affected city centre businesses causing huge financial losses especially in the run up to Christmas. There was a meeting between police and campaigners just before the 20th February where it was agreed that protesters would assemble on the Burford Rd and then would demonstrate on Dry Lane right outside the farm for an hour. On the day itself the sun shone and the atmosphere was electric .

New-rktter No. 11

EDITORIAL When the campaign against Consort Kennels began in September 1996 the campaigners planned that it would take about 3 years to close them down. It took just 1O months. When in September 1997 Save the Hillgrove Cats was formed, again it was estimated that it would take 3 years to close down Hillgrove Farm. We are now only half way through that original 3 year estimate . At the start of the campaign nobody imagined in their wildest dreams that the campaign would have grown so big and strong so fast. With nearly 112 million leaflets, 1,000 videos, 60,000 factsheets and about 80,000

newsletters distributed all FREE OF CHARGE the campaign growsÂˇat an ever faster pace. The mailing list is now 6,500 and by newsletter number 12 will be at 8,000 . Thousands of new people have come into the movement through Hillgrove. The most important thing we must all remember is firstly BE THERE. Come to Hillgrove Farm as often as you can, not just the Nationals but the ever so effective vigils as well and secondly, Hillgrove is and will be a big, big lesson to animal abusers and those who support them because so much has been thrown at us: ÂŁ2 million of policing, arrests, imprisonment, intimidation and exclusion orders. Not only are we still standing but WE ARE STRONGER THAN EVER.

Hillgrove Farm will close and the abusers of the future will look back at Hillgrove with a lump in their throats, knowing that even if everything is thrown at the campaign the animal abusers are still finished. To do this just remember stick with us, keep your head up and stay strong . We are in it to win it and win it we will no matter how long it takes. There are quite often things we cannot write in the newsletter as that would betray our sources . We cannot always see what is happening behind the scenes but be sure of one thing and that is we are having a tremendous effect and we are winning .

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Go on give Brown a call on 141 01993 703120 or 141 01993 700528 :Ask· him" ~h~~. h~·,; ·g~i~g ·;~-~iii" it~-~i~y ·;~d-;t~p. p~~fitti~g. ;;~~·;~i~~i .....·: ~

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:Ask him about the appalling pre-weaning mortality rate at Hillgrove. : ~Ask him how on earth he can supply a place like Huntingdon Life Sciences . ~ :Workers at HLS were shown hitting and shaking 4 month old beagle puppies : :(see article about Brown supplying HLS). : : Is he concerned that this is the same fate of the kittens he supplies? :I 'm sure you can think up thousands of questions of your own ! :The main thing is you all keep on ringing . ~When you're ringing the vivisectors can't get through to order more kittens . ....................................................................................... :

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:9ased in Witney is a taxi I coach ! firm called "Angela's". This is no !ordinary taxi firm but a company who !are more than happy to ferry :Hillgrove workers to and from !Hillgrove Farm. Angela's taxis can be !seen going in and out of Hillgrove !every day and the drivers are :frequently abusive to peaceful !campaigners by swearing, spitting !and making offensive hand gestures ! !Obviously Angela's taxis and their !staff see nothing wrong with cats !being bred and sold for vivisection . :There are no depths that some !people won't sink to for money. ! Please ring Angela's and tell them !what you think of them. ! I used to work near a taxi firm and !the drivers used to frequently tell me !that the most annoying thing for a !taxi firm is for people to ring up !ordering taxis from pubs, clubs, !houses etc. and when they turned up :there was no one there.

!Tel. 141 01993 771072 !or 141 01993 771122 I

!The best time to catch them is Friday !and Saturday evenings between 6pm !and 1am ! ! !

t___________________________________ _______ J

Hillgrove Worker Wendy Lovegrove and her husband - both laughing when asked how they could sleep at night knowing the fate of the Hillgrove cats.

The four remaining local workers at Hillgrove Farm are:

Heier:, Ramsey - 60 Bracken Close, Carterton, Witney, OXON OX18 1TQ Janet Cooper - 11 Shilldeane Drive, Carterton, Witney, OXON OX18 1 BQ Wendy Lovegrove - 29 Broadway Close, Witney, ·OXON oxaSGG Brian (Billy) Butler - 45 Mirfield Rd, Witney, OXON

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K9 SECURITY rown employs security guards from K9 Security Services, Red Barn Farm, Woodstock Rd, Wolvercote, Oxford (opposite Pear Tree Services) . Tel.. 141 01865 510230 K9 Security Services employ half-wit morons and supply each one with an alsation. We received video footage recently taken of the kennels at K9's headquarters. An undercover campaigner filmed the dogs in their tiny kennels with a small run. They looked bored and miserable and some had no water and many had matted fur. In the past K9 security guards at Hillgrove have told horror stories of one K9 alsation dying of heat exhaustion in the back of a van and another dog had his back broken by the security guard he was assigned to ! We don't know for sure if these stories are true but the security guards are generally so dim that it's not likely to be false information . The words "canary" and "sing like" spring to mind !

EMPLOYMENT

AGEN :C.Y TRACED

We have tracked down the agency who supplies the school leavers who are brought in from outside the area to abuse the cats inside Hillg.rove Belsen. They are Agenda Resource Management, Dunedin House, 45 Percy St, Hull HU2 8HL Tel.. 141 01482 898686 Jordan Ltd, 21 St Thomas St, Bristol BS 1 6JS Tel. 141 0117 923 0600 are involved with Agenda Resource Management. They are primarily run by Heather Fraser Sanders (D.O.B . 24/10/61) and Paul Dilwyn Sanders (D.O.B . 9/9/57). They live at Rose Cottage, Lelly, Hull HU12 8SN. Paul Sanders is (surprise, surprise) also a director of the Laboratory Animal Breeders Association - LABASS (of whom Brown is also a director .) and Bantin & Kingman Universal Ltd. (lab primate & beagle dealers)

Two of the workers at Hillgrove supplied by Agenda Resource Management.

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Roy James Butterworth The Old Rectory High St Fillingham Gainsborough Lines DN21 5BS Tel.. 141 01427 668304

Prmtgious Central London Colege

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The other directors of Agenda Resource Management are: John Edward Close, Pelham House, Northumberland Avenue Hornsea North Humberside HU18 1 EQ Tel.. 141 01964 532505

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Agenda Resource Management are a small new firm (they started in December 1996) they need squashing before they get a footing. Look at the cats undergoing experiments and then give them a ring, especially Roy Butterworth and John Close .

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01482 89 86 86

An advert by Agenda found in the London Evening Standard 5

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died at 92 years and another lived till 95 and I've beaten both of them. Alfalfa sprouts are good for you. I'm dead against all this genetic nonsense.

Âˇ OF

Q. Are you vegetarian? A. Yes, I've been vegetarian for the last 10 or 12 years. It struck me a~Iof a sudden that you're just eating dead bodies. You're no better than cannibals.

WISDOM ur oldest Hillgrove campaigner , Marion Tyrrell, was interviewed by Save the Hillgrove Cats last

week. Heather James had the pleasure of meeting Marion and went along with veteran campaigner Cynthia O'Neill for a very interesting afternoon cha t over a cup of coffee. Marion is 95 years old , a very wise woman with a wonderf ul sense of humour. She is very independent and lives only a few mites from Hiffgrove Farm. Many of you will have seen Maria n's letters to the Witney Gazette and Oxford Mail on the subject of Hillgrove Farm. Marian's letter s are always short and straight to th e point and full of scientific facts and sound moral argu ments. I was keen to find out mor e about Marion so here are some of the questions I asked:

Q. How long have you been campaigning for animals? A. Forty years. I've always loved animals , especially dogs. I've loved dogs since I could toddle. My mum used to say "one day one of those dogs will bite you" when I used to run up and hug them, but they never did because they know who loves them . Q. Where were you born? A. I was born in London and lived there for 27 years. I lived in Liverpool for 3 years and worked in the winter gardens in Blackpool for a w hile. T hen I got married and lived and wo rked in Slough. Marion stresses that she has wor ked hard all her life. She has no time for shirkers. Q. To what do you owe your long life? A. We were brought up with good wholesome food. One of my sisters 6

Q.Areyou religious? A. I believe the re is a god but I believ e he's a lot less

Q. Do you have a message for the Hillgrove prisoners? A. They don't need a message from me. They've got the right ideas anyway - I just wish l could join them . Q. Brown regularly goes to St. Kenelm's-church in Minster Lovell. What do you think of the vicar of St. Kenelm's? A. He's even worse. He's a sacreligious hound . Probably a free mason . Brown probably lines the church's pockets a little bit. He probably thinks he can buy his way into heaven. Q. Why is vivisection so secretive? A. They know very well that if the public saw what was going on, more people would join us - and they know it's something to be ashamed of. Q. Do you think the Animal Scientific Procedures Act protects laboratory animals? A. There's no real meaning in it. It's just a token

compassionate than a lot of humans. I've no time for organised religions.

Q. What do you think about Christopher Brown? A. I don't think he's human, he's just a monster. Q. Brown says that some of his cats are used in medical research that helps humans. What do you say to that? A. It's dangerous - I mean look at Opren and Thalidomide. He's not doing it for mankind , he's doing it for his own pocket. He couldn't care less for human beings as far as that goes. Q. What about the policing of Hillgrove Farm? A. I'm 95 years old and I was threatened with arrest while demonstrating at Hillgrove Farm. I've written three letters to the police about all this protection he's given - I think it's free masonry. They've never refuted any of my letters.

gesture.

Q. What about other cruelty issues? A. I think it's all evil. Any ill treatment of a defenceless human or animal is evil. There's a lot of fuss when it happens to humans but few people seem to bother with animals. Look at the case of the police officers who got four months for kicking a police dog to death and yet somebody in this area gets 12 months for breaking down a fence. Q. How do you feel about the workers at Hillgrove Farm? A. They're no better than he (Brown) is. They're like him. They're doing it for the good of their pockets. They are evil. Q. And finally a message for Brown for the millennium? A. I hope he doesn 't make the millennium . I'd adv ise him to think of the results of his evil over the years.

Newrl.e.tter No. 11

HOWLOWCANmEY GO? Two sharp eyed Save the Hillgrove Cats supporters spotted Christopher Brown driving his white Mercedes van at lunch time on February 18th 1999. Brown wasn't far from Hillgrove when he was spotted and the two campaigners followed him for the next few hours all the way to Huntingdon Life Sciences _nearCambridge. It is very upsetting to follow a vehicle and watch it disappear through the gates of a premises such as H.L.S. It is tragic that there is nothing you can do for those individual animals who have just disappeared from sight to a terrible fate in the hands of their torturers. We have to be strong and fight on for the animals the future. Huntingdon Life Sciences are a contract research laboratory and are

notorious after they were exposed last year on Channels Four's "Countryside Undercover - It's a dog's life" programme. Zoe Broughton worked at H.L.S. with a hidden camera. She filmed animal technicians beating and shaking four month old beagle puppies . The programme also revealed that technicians knew when the Home Office Inspectors were coming and when they did arrive they had a cup of tea and left without examining a single animal ! ! As a result of this programme major pharmaceutical companies pulled out of H.LS. and vowed never to do business with them again. H.L.S.'s share price plummeted to as little as 11p and they've been in trouble ever since.

evidence of vicious cruelty and atrocious living conditions for the animals at H.L.S. and Brown is happy to supply them with cats and kittens. Just as long as he gets paid who cares? This truly highlights just how evil Brown is. There is an excellent campaign to close down H.L.S. called the Huntingdon Death Sciences Campaign, PO Box 325, Cambridge CB1 2UF

The programme showed irrefutable

Solenoid driver to S 1 and S,

This experiment was carried out in Britain and was titled "Why we see what we see - A kitten in an artificial environment of vertical stripes. The collar prevents the kitten from seeing it's own body". This diagram originally appeared in the New Scientist. The object of the experiment would appear to be to try to drive the kitten into insanity.

Computer outputs

,_.... 1Âˇ0s Intra-arterial potassiumelectrode Encoder

Decoder

This is a diagram of an experiment carried out on 10 Hillgrove cats at the Physiology Dept. of Oxford University. This was taken from the journal of physiology.

Fig A - schematic diagram of a reflex-standing cat fixed in a stereotax ic device.

The workers at Hillgrove are all now ex-directory. If you or a friend / family work for B.T. or have access to ex-directory telephone numbers then please send us the workers numbers anonymously. It's good to talk! 7

Calfarmpro1es1 cost usdear,savtraders

Shoppers 'stayed away' By SUZANNE

HUBAND ANGRY traders say the latest protest by animal rights demonstrators cost them thousands of pounds in lost business. More than 800 protesters converged on Witney on Saturday for a demonstration outside Hillgrove Farm in Dry Lane, where cats are bred for medical research. Police and Save the Hillgrove Cats Campaigners had reached an agreement to allow a rally outside the farm. In December. the centre of Oxford was disrupted after campaigners abandoned plans to hold a rally in Witnev and moved to Oxford. · On Saturday morning. local radio stations were warning people there could be disrupt ion and delays to traffic in Witney. Derek Henderson. of the High Street Henderson Fmnishing CPntre. said: "I estimate I must have lost at least £4.000. Witney was very quiet and I had customers ringing me up saying they were not

going to come in because of the demonstration. "The police should make the demonstrators park their vehicles miles away and walk to the farm. Instead, they block roads ." Mike Wheeler. of Mike Wheeler Motorcycles. in the High Street. said: "I can't quantify what we lost but it was very quiet for a Saturday.

"People are just not coming into town when these protests happen. "The police should not have the right to close the roads because of the protesters . These roads are meant for everyone." Six people were arrested after some demonstrators broke away from the main rally. DEMONSTRATION: Polle• try to control the protest

WELSH DAY OF ACTION n the second regional day of action about 60 Welsh activists descended on Hillgrove Farm. What they lacked in numbers they certainly made up for in noise. Between 100 - 150 police officers plus 6 mounted officers and a brief visit by the police helicopter must have kept the local taxpayers happy! After 2 hours of constant noise right at the entrance to the farm the question was asked: Were we heard? Well just look at the back cover! It was now time to march on Witney so the 20 foot CLOSE DOWN HILLGROVE FARM banner was hoisted to the front. Many locals came out to see the march. Like the vigils this was a brilliant example of small numbers making themselves heard. So when the Welsh dragon comes to Hillgrove to roar again BE THERE !

Barbarians!

HAS it not occurred to J.Coad ~ (Witney Gazette letters, February 10) that no potential cat breeder ~ would receive the £1,500,000 worth of police protection awarded to Farmer Brown. apparently free of charge. since his abounding avarice seems to prevent him contributing anything from his ever increasing wealth? The legalised torture of defenceless creatures makes this not. as Tony Blair would have us belie\ e. a country to be proud of. but, except for a caring minority, a race of barbarians.

Mrs Marion Tyrrell Sycamore Drive. Carterton

Newrl.etter No. 11

"We are completely satisfied with the conditions we observed at Hillgrove Farm and with the standard of care given to the cats.".

referred. We also wanted to know what evidence they had to support their claim regarding lack of care by pet owners or poor conditions in catteries. Accordingly, we requested access to all the reports mentioned in this memo but were refused by the University. Indeed the public relations department indicated that the University now considers the matter closed and refused to speak to us further. We believe this speaks volumes and are

This astounding statement, made by two senior faculty members, formed the basis of the University's official response to our allegations of cruel practices at Hillgrove. In his memorandum dated 19th January 1999, Mr Dugald Mackie, Secretary of the University Court stated that ..._ ,___,........ .-.---,-the University approached the Home Office Chief Inspector who commented that no reason could be found to alter Hillgrove's designated status, and the head of the RSPCA's Research Animals Department stated that he could find no evidence of cruelty. Consequently, the University would continue to support the Vet School in it's research work. Additionally, Dugald Mackie stated that the cats used in vaccine trials are housed in conditions far superior to most boarding catteries (!) and the standard of confident that the reports referred to veterinary care is much higher for their are an inaccurate and inadequate cats than for the majority of the large assessment of the conditions that the numbers of infected pet cats where cats have to suffer at Hillgrove and, veterinary treatment is,at best, a late late, at the University. Consequently the intervention in a protracted illness. campaign continues, and the frequency According to Mr. Mackie, "to allow of demonstrations at the University has suffering of an experimental infected been increased. Currently we have animal would contravene Home Office monthly weekend demonstrations with regulations and would offend the regular mid week pickets. sensitivity of those involved in caring for them." The connection between Glasgow

the Scottish Cat Club is also being pursued . Many members of the Scottish Cat Club were unaware that their president, Professor Nash, is employed by a University that actively vivisects cats. Consequently the response to our information stall at the National Cat Show on 23rd January 1999 was considerable and we have now received further invitations to hold a stall at the West of Scotland Cat Show on 20th March 1999 and the Dumbarton Cat Show on 20th April 1999.

~--------,.......-~~-..,-, The campaign is attracting

We do not share Mr Mackie's confidence in the effectiveness of the 1986 Act in protecting animals from cruelty. We know this act protects the vivisectors and not the vivisected . We also believe that the system of inspection in ineffectual as it does not protect animals from an extensive range of painful procedures. Glasgow University's own research papers reveal that cats in the FIV tests have suffered fever, conjunctivitis, profound anorexia, stomach pain and jaundice.

an ever growing number of committed volunteers who are regularly taking every opportunity to highlight the horrific conditions and fate of the Hillgrove cats and kittens to the public. Currently we have information stalls in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling,Alloa and Lanarkshire. Nevertheless, large sections of the Scottish public have still not heard of Hillgrove and therefore we desperately need more volunteers country-wide. If you live in Scotland and are able to help please contact Ann on 01475 783201 or Mary on 01475 631165 If you think you have to travel far to Hillgrove then spare a thought for the Scottish activists who come on the Coach from Scotland for the National Demos. They leave at 10:30pm Friday night and get back home 6am Sunday morning

University Veterinary Science Dept and -~~W.:J,1il/J1t1121

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Needless to say, we totally disagreed with the contents of the University's memo and were very interested in viewing the reports to which they

Scottish Save the Hillgrove Cats info stall at the Scottish Cat Club Show 9

BILLY BUTLER

one spotted: SONYPLAYSTATION It occurred .to us that UNWANTEDCHRISTMASPRESENT Hillgrove must have had · NEVERUSED,STILLBOXED,WITH GAMES loads of people ringing up £50 o.n.o. Tel .. 01993 703120 / for the playstation and 700528 blocking Hillgrove's phonelines stopping evil vivisectors getting through . It's amazing what you see down the shops isn't it?

DEMO ATCARDIFF UNIVERSITY

Billy Butler is Brown's right hand man. He can be seen driving around in a tractor most days in the fields around Hillgrove Farm. Butler claims he's just an innocent farm worker but he's been seen driving Brown's "cat van" (the one he uses to deliver kittens to labs). Obviously he's up to his neck in it Butler has been violent towards police officers and protesters and has a conviction for "threatening behaviour'' and the courts ordered him to pay for criminal damage he caused to a woman's car. He's a bit of a nutter. But that's not all. A local woman that we know very well tells us that all of the parents who live near Butler keep their children well away from him because they are frightened for their safety as Butler is renowned locally as having an unhealthy sexual interest in children and child pornography,

ardiff University uses cats from Hillgrove Farm and despite all the evidence of cruelty they have refused to stop buying from Hillgrove. When we arrived at Cardiff for the demo there were already about 50 people gathered at the main gates with banners and leaflets. Protesters had been told that they could not demonstrate outside the Dept. of Biosciences where the animals are held and experimented on. Undeterred 50 demonstrators simply brushed off feeble attempts, by two skinny security guards, to stop them. Only two police officers were in view and they sloped off after about half an hour leaving us to a very noisy demo nstration. The university had to lock the doors and students were turned away. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out to students and the general public and huge banners were displayed at the main entrance to the University. All in all it was an excellent demo and well supported . Rest assured there will be more at Cardiff University and we will continue to cause them headaches and embarrass ment until they stop torturing animals .

Phone line investigation ■

WITNEY police are carrying out an investigation after a telegraph pole carrying phone lines to Hillgrove Farm, Minster Lovell. was cut down. The farm, w here cats are bred for medical research, has bee n the scene of numerous demonstrations over t he last two years. The pole on the edge of Dry Lane was cut at 2.30am on Monday. Oxford Times 5th March

► IN PROTEST .\'arlwn lfodi e. jr on t, wi t h other pr or.csre,.-:;ot1u1dc rl1t' w 111 ,,ers1q;_

PROTESTE RS lined up outsi de Canliff ll m,·ersil, to t·omplain about its use of t·ats in animal expelim e nts. More than 30 de monstrat ors turned up )' CSleroay lo th;, universi ty's ongoin g animal rese arch progran1m e . The demo consist ed of members of Cardiff -ba -;ed Fri ends of Anim als U nder

Ab, cse (Fa una ) an d th e Sa"' th e Hillgro w Ca b Campaign ,

The prote st ¼-c1sorgani~~ a fter tJ1e uni, ~ 1-sity's scie ntifi c papers si10wed how it used tw<><lay-old

kittPn s in its re search.

of human prog ress , th('~' mus t be st opJK..o.d. " Last wee k th e F.di o re" -e.,Ued WU,·crsit )' pl ans to expand its animaJ labo ratori es by more th a11 25,000 sq ft. Animal rights a ct i\i,,-.:s fe lt this ma y lea d

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to an incre ase in animal ex pe rim enta tion - a mo, -e

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stro ngly denied by wti >"ersity officials.

Fauna founder member

Ne,wrU!.i:i:eÂĽ No. 11

MY FIRST DEMO "This Saturday, 20th February I attended my first ever demonstration of any kind at the somewhat "woken up a bit late" age of 50. Having been interested in animals and their welfare and a cat lover since 6 years old it took something like your campaign to hit home the horrors and ongoing cruelty at Hillgrove Farm and the disgusting people who "buy" these cats. I met some amazing people whose continuous dedication made me realise how switched off and lazy most of us are. I now realise that one of the most important things every caring individual can do is to go to Hillgrove at every possible opportunity and increase the numbers until this vile man has to close down. The support of the people driving past and the great sight of a family living in a house in Witney, standing on their drive wearing T-Shirts and waving posters and banners for "Save the HiIlgrove Cats" . Certainly walking through the estates brought about a somewhat quickshock-education and several children stood and hopefully took in the message. During the one minute silence for the cats and kittens that had been driven to a fate worse than hell from the farm that week to Huntingdon I found this so upsetting visualising this I couldn't take everything in. The sight of the police on those huge horses is more than daunting and I could see deliberate acts from them to cause aggravation -such as on the march when they shouted at us to move on, even though the police at the front had stopped the march. Much as I felt furious I made a

decision at this point not to react as a) this is what they want and b) negative energy and thoughts to the police only detract from the plight of those cats. All I would say to anyone that was put off going in the future is don't let them sway your judgement from why you were there in the first place. We could either shut up and go with the flow or react. Those cats and kittens have no choice over one second of their entire lives. What will help is if all new people spread the word and bring along as many people next time as possible. Hopefully you can tell the campaign has hit me head on and the photos I saw are here with me every time I close my eyes or look at my cats. Those with much loved pet cats should put a photo of their cat with those experiment pictures then perhaps the plight of these poor

creatures will hit home. Yes it's horrid to look, yes you won't sleep, yes you'll feel sick and yes once you've looked you'll get off your complacent backside and fight for the rights of the cats and kittens that for the past 30 years day after day live a hell we cannot see or imagine in any picture. It's sad to think that at 50 years old this is the first time I've physically done anything - I've donated etc. in the past but never got any further pretending to look at my happy cats and not believing people could take part in such cruel acts. The expression "better late than never" seems pathetic. It's made me realise how self absorbed we are in the most and seeking self-happiness - eventually let's hope everyone opens their eyes to the fact that some animals never can !"

If your newsletter is labelled incorrectly, or if you receive more than one copy please cut out the the address label with the relevant corrections clearly marked. This will help us a great deal.

another time dissecting a THE cat he had failed to kill, so was still alive. On release of the film, he STRICTEST and his assistant handed in their licences to REGULATIONS vivisect. Labs INTHE Wickham This Hampshire-based contract lab was filmed testing a highly toxic drug . WORLD? which affected the

hose who conduct animal experiments, and the Home Office (who regulate them) claim we have the strictest rules in the world protecting lab animal's. If we believed this, we would believe the claims of cruelty made by opponents of vivisection were exaggerated. Over recent years, armed with tape recorders, cameras and camcorders, undercover investigators have filmed inside Britain's laboratories.

1989 Mill Hill, London The National Institute for Medical Research is claimed to be one of the UK's most prestigious labs. When Professor Feldberg was filmed, he was one of the most respected vivisectors in the country. Aged 89 , he couldn't see properly or handle surgical needles as he burned the skin of rabbits and cats to prove what was already known. Openly refusing to read what the law meant to him, he used unsuitable anaesthetics, and his animals were filmed regaining consciousness while they were being burned. He was filmed heating the skin of a rabbit before the anaesthetic had been given time to work, and at ----

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nervous system of the mice, causing slow paralysis. Dying mice would lie in the cages with dead bodies. Mice "". weighing 17 to 30g were _ . ~, supposed to be used but ; staff didn't bother ' ~weighing them. Cages , ., . were broken, which lead to escapes, and at least one animal was killed by accident when its head was crushed under a cage lid. Eye infections were a common problem, and the many m_icegassed were killed inhumanely with broken equipment.

SmithKline Beecham Rabbits (naturally social animals) were kept in solitary confinement, often developing brittle bones due to ~heir lack of exercise. Dogs were kept in bare metal pens with concrete floors, and were so stressed they clawed at the metal doors or showed repetitive behaviour, which is extreme for dogs. Baby mice had toes removed for identification, adults had part of their ears torn out. Mistakes in handling, blood sampling of dogs and giving injections lead to more pointless suffering for the animals. A rabbit was found recovering from a complicated surgery where the gut was stitched together; other staff concluded that the experimenter was a bad surgeon.

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" crawled over each other. Other rats· were partially or completely paralysed by a spine injection, turning some into 'hunch backs' too weak even to reach their food. Mice were shaved and burnt by overexposure to radiation. Some developed weeping sores in the eyes and became so weak walking was almost impossible. After documenting this, the researcher had not worked a single day without seeing "great distress".

St Mary's Hepatitis, burrowing mites, and deaths caused by leaking water bottles were among the catalogue of errors at this London Medical School. Rats were used in kidney research, despite the cause and symptoms being different from the human condition. Instead of rats, human tissue could have been used from biopsies or from the 50 transplants a year at the hospital. Monkeys were housed singly in bare cages. One test on them was injecting with the faeces of Hepatitis-infected monkeys, although human tissue culture could have been used instead.

Toxicol, 1993

• ,1..·1f

11•• 12

Rats were injected in the spine causing swelling so severe they could hardly walk. Crammed in small boxes, they

Beagle dogs were kept in solitary pens with no bedding. A human error meant they were wrongly dosed, causing internal bleeding. A weedkiller which had already been in use since 1972 and had passed animal tests

New-r/dter No. 11 was tested on these dogs again by pushing rubber hoses down their throats to allow the chemicals in. More animals died testing an antimalaria treatment which one million people had taken, and monitored afterwards.

lnterfauna Beagles were kept without bedding on hard floors . Fighting injuries occurred, and litters died due to the conditions.

Charing Cross and Westminster Hospital Medical School Over twice as many mice mere proved to be killed as su rplus , compared to experimental ones. The surplus ones were gassed in a filthy gas box without most of the basic requirements , and some mice regained consciousness afterwards while piled in a body bag ready for disposal. Others were killed by slamm ing the heads against furniture or pulling the tail and head in opposite directions so the spine snapped. Rabbits suffered dramatic weight loss

species the public are concerned for (eg monkeys) or for sensitive experiments .1:. 1 (eg brain research) rules are incredibly strict. At the Institute of Neurology monkeys were kept in isolation with no bedding, toys, or stimulation during i their brain experiments. The .. â&#x20AC;˘ results could not be applied 1$;.li!i!;!I\C!l~ lii to man, and included screwing bolts into the head _ of a female macaque who spent many months bored and frustrated in a tiny cage with brain implants. After spending 20 months at Gharing Cross and this Institute and seeing thousands of animals , the investigator could not think of one animal he had seen live and die according to the 1986 Act.

Huntingdon Life Sciences A 1997 Channel 4 documentary showed footage from Huntingdon, where staff beat, shook and terrified beagles. Later two staff were convicted of criminal offences by this.

taken by them. While vivisectors claim conditions are good, the difficult process of undercover investigation has brought us video evidence of breach after breach of the legislation. Clearly scenes inside UK labs are shocking. Who wants to work in such places and witness such brutality ? Clearly not the 'caring sensitive' staff labs often claim they employ. They have to be insensitive to work there, and what they see makes them more hardened and unaware of the animals' needs. None of the experiments conducted serves any purpose. Animal experiments are not relevant for humans because all animals are different. They do not get the same illnesses as us, or react the same way to treatments. Over 98% of illnesses are never seen in animals. A senior executive from an animal experimentation company said animals gave the same result as humans 5-25% of the time, so they are wrong far more often that they're right. Dangerous drugs like Thalidomide, Encainide and Manoplax have killed, blinded, injured and caused birth defects in thousands of people after passing animals tests, while medical advances have been delayed by the misleading results of animal studies.

in battery conditions where many were edgy or depressed. Cats were kept in bare rooms with minimal furniture, and dogs were given hea rt pacemakers which caused shaking , swelling and heart failure. Rats and mice with cancer often had tumours so large they broke the skin.

Institute of Neurology

All labs showed clear breaches of the government guidelines, and thi s is proved by eye witne ss, photographic, video and other evidence in all the cases above . Every time someone exam ines a lab, it's found to be breaking the rules, causing suffer ing. Many breaches are known to have been there when Home Office inspectors visited, yet no action was

Unregulated, brutal, and operated by the insensitive animal laboratories will always be the centre of cruelty until we close them. We CAN achieve this.

It's often claimed experiments on

On february 20th 1999 at the last national Hillgrove demonstration there was a nasty incident where a woman protester was trampled by a police horse (see 'witness wanted' if you saw anything). We can't write too much about how Debbie susta ined her injuries, because she is taking legal action, but she was trampled by a police horse and as a result two bones were broken in her ankle and she had numerous hoof print over her body. As Debbie lay on the ground waiting for an ambulance the "oh-so sensitive" police officers proceeded to question her and repeatedly told her she had "slipped" ! Debbie was taken to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford and people rang her to ask how she was and she was able to ring family and friends. She had visitors on Saturday evening and Sunday morning without any problems . Save the Hillgrove Cats press released on Sunday morning stating their anger and disgust at Debbie's injuries caused by the police . Debbie had an operation on her ankle Sunday afternoon . First thing on Monday morning Heather James from Save the Hillgrove Cats phoned Debbie to see how she was. Heather also asked Debbie if she was sure she wanted to talk to the press (Debbie had said several times that she wanted to talk to the press). Debbie clearly and definitely said she wanted to talk them. At all times our first priority was Debbie's well being. If she had said she didn't want to talk to the press then that would have been the end of it. Central TV, The International News Service and the Oxford Courier wanted to interview Debbie. All of a sudden the hospital started to treat Debbie like a prisoner. A journalist from INS managed to speak to Debbie on the phone and Debbie said "come on up - I'm happy to do an interview with you". As the journalist approached Debbie's ward with Greg from Save the Hillgrove Cats three security guards sprang out and threw the two men out. The press officer from the John Radcliffe, Megan was there too - Megan told the INS reporter that it wasn't Debbie he had spoken to but someone from the campaign ! ! ! It so happens that we know the INS reporter quite well and he knew that Megan was lying. The nurses and doctors were marvellous it was Megan who was causing all the problems. Debbie's ward became a fortress no-one except her husband could visit (and he had difficulty !) Debbie couldn't make any calls and no-one could ring her. If you rang the hospital and asked for Debbie they would hang up on you. The excuse from the hospital was that Debbie was ''tired" so she couldn't see anyone - especially the press. The hospital had no right to treat Debbie this way. The fact is they and the police were fully aware that newspapers have deadlines and after that deadline has passed the papers won't run the story. Remember the idiot who had his arm bitten off by a tiger at Chipperfield 's? Well he was probably in a worse physical condition than Debbie and yet TV cameras and press were allowed in to see him from day one. As a result of this treatment Debbie became depressed and weepy. The hospital did not put her interest and well-being first which they should have done . We believe it is possib le that the police had a word with hospital authorities and urged them to behave in this way to save embarrassmen t and keep the story out of the papers . There is no other explanation. Debbie will be laid up for the next 10 weeks. Her experience has not deterred her fro m demonst rating and she will be back at Hillgrove

Any cards or messages of support for Debbie can be sent to us at Save the Hillgrove Cats, Box CB, 111 Magdalen Rd, Oxford OX4 1RQ. 14

Newrud:t:e.r No. 11

OPERATION 100 Brown has said that if we could find 100 vets to condemning Hillgrove Farm then he would close down. This is where YOU come in. Please get your vet to write to the campaign on their headed paper ( otherwise Brown will say we have made them up) condemning Hillgrove. We can supply loads of info for your vet like the breeding records, ex-worker articles, questionnaires, etc. So please contact our vet and make them one of the hundred.

THEA.P.C.

Th e A nima . Ip roce d ures Comm,ttee . .Is the body who pass animal experiments as fine. The people below see nothing wrong with sewing up kitten 's eyelids , poisonin g beagles with weedkiller or scalding primates in British laboratories. When you look down the list you may be surprised to see people from IFAW, The Dr Hadwen Trust, Advocates for Animals a'nd the RSPCA sitting on a committee whose role it is to rubber stamp the most vicious experime nts you could imagine .

The Reverend Professor Michael Banner - Professor of Theology, King's College, London Professor Ronald Anderson - Animal Husbandry, Liverpool University Professor Christopher Atterwill - Head of Animal Testing, Roche Products Ltd. Mr Mike Baker - UK Director , IFAW Professor Donald Broom - Univers ity of Cambridge Professor Grahame Bulfield - Director Roslin Institute (AFRC Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics) Dr David Clark - Unilever Research , Shambrook , Beds (Unilever test all their products on animals and quite often go under the name Lever Bros) Professor Stephen Clark - Philosophy, Liverpoo l University Professor Robin Dunbar - Psychology, Liverpool University Professor Paul Flecknell - Direcor, Comparative Biology Centre, University of Newcastle (cat vivisector) Mr John Gregory - Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Mr Alan Holland - Philosophy, Lancaster University Dr Maggy Jennings - Head of Research Animals Dept. RSPCA (no surprise to see Maggy Jennings on the list, she who thinks all is fine and dandy at the disgusting Hillgrove Farm). Professor Colin Johnston - Professor of Neuro-endocrinology, Queen's University, Belfast Dr Gillian Langley - Dr Hadwen Trust Professor John Martin - Cardio-Vascular Medicine, University College, London Professor Alan McNeilly - Deputy Director , MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, Edinburgh (This unit spec ialises in perverted sex experiments on primates in one they did research into premat ure ejaculation on primates ) Dr lain Purchase - Head of the notor ious Central Toxico logy Laboratory at Zeneca, Alderley Park, Cheshire Professor Genevra Richardson - Quee n Mary & Wesfield College , London Dr Jacqueline Southee Dr Anthony Suckling - Deputy Director General, RSPCA (ex-vivisector) Professor John Turner - Professor of Genetics, University of Leeds Les Ward - Director, Advocates for Animals and friend of vivisector Colin Blakemore 15

ZENECA

Zeneca Pharmaceuticals recently admitted that they used Hillgrove Cats. Please write to them or ring them: Simon Poucher, Dept. CMM, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield SK10 4TG Tel.. 141 01625 582711 & 141 01625 582828 (e-mail : simon.poucher@gbapr.zeneca .com) Please let us know how you get on . Remember it is always better to ask specific questions like "How can Zeneca feel happy dealing with Hillgrove Farm, when the infant mortality rate is 10%?" otherwise you are just giving them an opportunity to write you a bland long winded letter which tells us nothing.

- . UPDATE! We've been receiving a few phone calls lately from Save the Hillgrove Cats supporters who tell us that they have phoned Merial and been told that Merial don't buy cats from Hillgrove. We know for a fact that Merial have bought cats from Hillgrove Farm. They bought 40 on the 26th May last year. Nobody has yet got it in writing from Merial that they don't buy cats from Hillgrove . Merial in the UK will say "we don't buy Hillgrove cats - we don't have any labs in this country". This is something Save the Hillgrove Cats are perfectly well aware of. The cats and kittens are transported from Hillgrove to Merial in France. Merial claim they can't prove they don't buy cats from Hillgrove . This is not true . They could prove it buy telling us where they do get cats from.

They admit they do research on cats so where do they get their cats from? Do they steel people's pets? So when they say "We don't need S.PF. cats to test flea treatments", this may be true, but they have to buy from a designated breeder by law ! Merial will try to wriggle their way out of awkward questions but it is not difficult to put them on the spot. Here is an extract of a conversation between Heather James of Save the Hillgrove Cats and Bert Burns of Merial.

Tests a fraud

JUST because Hillgrove and Porton Down are both legal, so what! The law does not make those Hell Holes in any way correct. J.Coad (Gazette letters. February 10) fails to undertsand that the protesters, like many eminent scientists, doctors and lawyers, want vivisection to be abolished ~use man is not a giant cat and·therefore tests on animals, when applied to the human sick patient, is a fraud . Cats are not required formedical research. Cynthia O'Neill Church Meadow Milton-under-Wychwood

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UK. HJ - Yes I know you don't have any labs in the UK but you do in France. Do you know Mr Roux from Lyon? BB I don't know what's going on in France. Now Burt Burns seems to be a spokesperson for Merial and he doesn't know what's going on in France!!

WHATYOU CAN DO

Keep ringing Merial and have a list of questions prepared and demand answers. Don't be fobbed off. HJ - Mr Burns I want the truth. Are Write to Merial and demand answers you still buying cats from Hillgrove to your questions Farm - because we know Merial have Write to Merial and tell them you will done in the past. not be buying Frontline flea treatment BB - We don't buy from Hillgrove Farm - we don't have any labs in the again.

GOON... GOONA VIGIL Vigils are a lesson in how a few people can achieve a lot. About 50 people attended on a cool night to show their determination and with _large candles along the verge outside Hillgrove it made quite a spectacle. A constant barrage of noise meant Brown and the lovely workers now living on sight didn't get a· wink of sleep, just to make doubly sure between 2am and 3:30am banging fireworks and a fog horn were to be heard most clearly. Proving the point that if you make the cats suffer then you too will suffer. The message of PLEASE ATTEND VIGILS cannot be stated enough. On the nationals there are police everywhere but on vigils you can really make your presence felt. So please organise yourselves, don 't just read about it in the newsletters come and be part of it. · 16

DONATIONS Save the Hillgrove Cats does not have any surplus funds. Every penny donated goes directly to help save the cats at Hillgrove. All campaigners are volunteers . It is a constant struggle to find the funds to mail out newsletters to 6,500 people every 8 weeks. If you can send a donation to the campaign please do. What your money pays for :

Your money pays for adverts in the Big Issue. These adverts have told thousands of people about Hillgrove Farm and what goes on there. These adverts are vital and we will continue with them . Due to lack of funds we have been unable to advertise in all the Big Issue areas unfortunately. Your money pays for the printing of all the leaflets: newsletters, factsheets , posters and stickers etc. We distribute all the Hillgrove information free to whoever wants it but obviously the printing and postage costs are huge. Your money pays for the coaches to th national demonstrations . When you send a donation your money directly helps the cats at Hillgrove. The more leaflets we prin and distribute the more people come to the demos the quicker Hillgrove Âˇ1 close down. The two most effective things you can do are, firstly be at Hillgrove secondly, if you can afford Âˇ ake a donation to help keep the camp going . Standing Orders Standing order forms are available from us if you would like to make a regular monthly contributio n to Save the Hillgrove Cats. Thank You If you send a donation you will receive a thank you note and acknowledgement. If you do not receive a note it is either because your address was not included, we were unable to read it or the donation was included with petition forms and we didn't know which address was yours.

ANIMAL

ABUSE

HUMAN

ABUSE

You often here people say that people who care about animals don't care about people (this is normally said by someone who does absolutely nothing for the welfare of animals or people). The following table shows how ridiculous this is. But not only that, it also shows the direct link between people abusing animals and people abusing other humans.

Name

What TheyDia

OtherInterests

Lord Shaftesbury

Social Reformer who campaigned against women and children working in mines and for free education.

Campaigned against all animal abuse and total abolition of vivisection.

Michael Cartier

Killed Kristen Lardner by shooting her 3 times in the head.

At 4 years old pulled a rabbit's legs out of its sockets and threw a kitten through a closed window.

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the USA. Abolished slavery.

Supported animal rights, believing them to be as important as human rights.

Edward Kemperer

Killed his grandparents, mother and seven women.

Chopped up 2 cats

Ghandi

Indian leader who led the Indian struggle for independence by non violent means which included fasting.

Vegetarian who believed that vivisection was the blackest of all crimes committed against God.

Jeffrey Dahmer

Killed 17 men

Killed many animals

Richard Allen Davies

Murdered a 12 year old

Set fire to cats

Richard Speak

Killed 8 women

Threw bird into a ventilator fan

Francis of Assisi

A saint

Preached compassion to all animals

Randy Roth

Killed 2 wives

Used an industrial sander on a frog and taped a cat to a car engine

Jeremy Bentham

Philosopher and legal reformer who stated that laws should be for the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people

Wrote "The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But can they suffer?". Believed that humanity should protect "all that breathes".

Peter Kurten, The Dusseldori Monster

Murdered more than 50 people

Practiced bestiality on dogs as he tortured and killed them.

Richard William Leonard

Murderer

Grandmother forced him to kill and mutilate cats as a child .

Albert Desalvo, The Boston Strangler

Murderer

Starved a cat and a dog and then watched them fight to the death

WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE

In recent national newspaper adverts taken out by the RSPCA to support the recent Fur Farming Bill they complained quite rightly: â&#x2013; "On farms, they (mink) are confined in rows of tiny cages. In such restricted conditions mink show abnormal behaviour. There are instances of fur biting and self mutilation" You would hardly believe this is the same organisation who finds it perfectly ok for cats inside Hillgrove Farm to be kept for up to 1O years without ever seeing natural light with only 1.5 square feet per cat. Incredible isn't it that this is the same RSPCA talking about "abnormal behaviour'' and "self-mutilation" but they find nothing wrong with the cats at Hillgrove Farm showing classic abnormal behaviour by eating I killing up to 10% of all new-born kittens at Hillgrove Farm. Something stinks and we would like to know why the RSPCA have consistently been an enemy of the Hillgrove cats.

Newr'-etterNo. 11

!Demonstrationswill grow c::

I THINK it would be reasonable to expect tht> unexpecte d as the Hillgrove saga rolls on and on . It is a surprise to most of us that the farm is still open, under such pressure, but whatever happens next it is clear the campaign to close ifhas carved its niche in history, raising questions which would have otherwise been ignored. It would be difficult (without changing our -society entirel y) to argue that the police should not be involved in policing large demonstrations. But equally it is unthinkable that the methods seen in Oxford in December 12are acceptable . Enclosing large groups on all sides (thus preventing dispersement) and moving people to an area where they will block the passage of uninvolved parties and the use of heavy-handed methods before a more diplomatic approach are all methods so obviously unacceptable that even the police refuse to publicly support them. It is agreed that the antiHiUgrove proteste rs are a wide cross-section from the very young to the very old. of all social backgrounds and all levels of involvement in the animal movement. This has been acknowledged on TV by senior police and is not disputed. How this has been cast aside for police to act as if all involved are violent, despite a single convincing case of violence aga inst a person by a protester. is beyond belief. Demonstrations like the Hillgrove ones will grow. It is becoming increasingly well known that animals are treated in ways that are not socially accept able and frequently illegal in laboratories. It is also becoming better understood that animal research is not relevant for medical research 11nd the use of thi s method ha s caused great damag e to our medical knowledge. It is becoming widely believed, among all sections of society, that human lives have been lost thanks to the effects of animal experiments. In attempting to criminalise a non-violent expression of political dissatisfaction the police are threatening democracy. liberty, free speech and political debate. This time it may the cats they attempt to stop people talking about. th e next time it may be jobs. our way of life. the polluting factory on our doorstep or the paedophile who has moved in next door to our primary school. Vivisection is a serious subject we. as a soc iety. really should address. The attempts by police to criminalise and physically intimidate those calling for this address is a threat to us all . With those concerned with this serious subject being lied to by the Government and having phones slammed down on them by the Home Office it is little wonder they peacefully take to the streets in their thousands. The police should be grateful that people are restrained enough to do that. C.Clarke -~dalen Road. Qxford

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'If you want a cat of my calibre, you have to feed me the going rate'

Witney Gazette

Opinion Finally, at Hillgrove Farm a protester was badly injured when trod.den on by a horse ridden by a mounted policeman. She ended up in the John Radcliffe Hospital for emergency surgery and the incident does raise questions about

whether it was an appropriate form of policing.

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A VIEWOFTHEPOLICE ave the Hillgrove Cats are not about arguing with the police. It is true the police can be a problem to say the least but we MUST NOT be distracted from our course, which is headlong towards Hillgrove Farm. The police want to distract us from our target. We are all guilty at times of being sidelined by police officers - falling into the trap of getting into conversations or arguments with them. Some police officers are geared up for a confrontation whether verbal or physical and nothing brightens up their day more than a good tussle with protesters. It is not worth wasting your breath arguing with them or trying to explain to them what it's all about (in our experience they can't or won't understand !). At the end of the day the police are there to do a job keep Hillgrove Farm open ! It takes most of us many demonstrations to learn this but one I HAVE long suspected I ...-h,1'c the r ~1\emen1 . that we do not live in a T he, Je)cfihed ml." on th,:ir woman said this after her first ::.card) record as ··sl1111 ·· fo r free country. which I am gratt:ful. hut tlwugh Las t Satur da\' I rL'l:Ci veJ the Hillgrove demo on February 20th: the\' diJn· 1 IH\lt' mv C\C anJ hair final proof . ·

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"I started off trying to explain to the police why we HAD to demonstrate and how we felt, but I was wasting my time. I am a respectable middle class woman who has never even had a parking ticket and yet the police were shoving and pushing me as if I was a criminal or as if I was doing something wrong - which I wasn't. I suddenly realised that the police were really irrelevant. I knew the reason I was there - I was there for the cats - NOTHING ELSE. I wasn't there for myself, my friends or other protesters and I certainly wasn't there to argue with the police. I go to Hillgrove because of what's happening to the cats, and I will keep going until Hillgrove closes down. Nothing will put me off. I watched the police men and women's faces and they seemed to smirk and really enjoy the attention when people spoke to them . From now on I will always completely ignore them !"

Although the police are a complete irrelevance it is nice to see articles like this, which expose the outrageous behaviour we have come to expect from Thames Valley Police.

1.. ·o!Our lhe\ diJ wi-it~ J(rnn thl' colour 11f ;ll\.dolhc s. I haw li11ICdoubt som,: (,f the pa ss ing motori~t s and pedestri;ub r1..-c~1gni scJ me anJ wun<lcrc-d\\ h) l was bl'ing Sl'Mchc-J. Afler an l'Xtl."n:-.ive:,,ean:h lhl" polii:I.'"f1lt11HInolhing anJ kl u-. go although lhcy insiskd on foll~rning 1hc car to the rail way ::.tat11..,n . Sn JU:-1\\ h ~ \\ere we-!,lopped? :\nim•li righb i~ no long.er ju ~t ah,1u 1 anirnab. it i:-..1h\1Ut righ t:-. Ynur nl!hb . \h rid1b . E,-en· hl1J,·, f,1.!1 11,. . . \\-;hat i1a:- happc-ncJ IO 1lur

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out on the pavcmi:nt in lhc ,uhurh~ of 0."<funl and I mi$..~d my train homi: .

~h crime ·., Tr;.ndlinl! as. a pa :-.~1,; nger in a ea~ and intl'ndine. to Gth:h a train.

GoodbJ:,,frt'('dom, ht·llt1pa/in • .Haft•.

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:-.pe,iking. h~ Th .1nh.·.-. \"alk~ pnlin: . Then :..nme\int· ,wt a pt, lice ,,nict·r ,, ho rdu :-.eJ to g1w lus n:tme. Jdiheratd~ unplug.~l.·d m~ rnil."r11ph1111e .

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Tht· sc-.1n:h reeorJ for me sa \) that the, ,,e re lookine: f;) r ••impkrnc.nb for 1.. ·ommi))ion 111"

t-r1111e··The ~eareh n:l.."orJr,,rthe 1..";1r ,;1~:- th :11tht·~ \\l'fl' se;irt·hing r llf "'\\e;1p1111 :,,•• Tht· p\1111. :c \\ lw :..t11ppcJ u~ J1J Onl' (1f tht· otli...-i:r::.in thi s 1.:ar 1w1 ,t·t·m 111he armed though I i.:arric=d ;i , iJi:1..1camera. which \\ould h,l\c t'1.pl.'"eled p,iltt ·t· \\a:- U!ied to tilm me anJ m~ 1\rr11.:er, '\(\l flp111~ ;1 ,dude t·11mpan1,1n:-fr,1111t·H·r~ p11:--.ihk "1:,pc.·,:1ed,1f 1..·arr~111g \,e.1p1111 , 1,, ,llll.!k 11 had ;1 1;1p1..· rt·..:,irdt·r .111d l.'11n1ain arm l.·d 11ffi,:t·r, .1 ~t·,1111t·ra ,11th me .1nd I Aftl'r I l!lll 111111 thl' car,,,... h:ul pht>tP~rapheJ ,tnJ t;1pnl lhl· lh1ne no1i1inl.! hut Jrn t· .tl,1111! pr, 1ct·cd111~,1 .-\ 1l11ul c,r. m.1in r,1ad, ~ fr11m \\ 1111c, , ;. \.· .,rr, 1111.! :111 add11111n;i\ l\\11 <hr11nl . ,,1!"1l·~·r, ·,,,1'.1hn t,dkd If \\l' \H·rt· .11.. ·t tng :-1hp 1t1,,u ,l~ Ont· nf tht· e\\r.1 1•11°hxr-.1,.1, then ,p 1,.1-.c,e r~ othl'r m,11,,n-.1 I 1,,, 111.111. ..:.dkd t,1 '>\ .lfdl lht· .ind p,t\'\l'll~l'f l\\,l \ \••ll h,.'11 1d1n \ \,:l'l' \\Ith llll' 0

So, tlun• 11"1' Clfl ll't'rt' , (hn •t• I ,,.,~ 1,1ld. fr, •111"nt· 1•f tht· p,1\sn· wriuwl /01·n ·, mu/ u clo:t'/1 or'" 1111111.1nd p,1,t, ·· I ht· p, •ht.l" \,111 \t hith ,ti• pp...-d po/in· offin ·n ,m u Surunlu_r •1w1011i11 (J.r/m·J. u, '-"111.1111nl.1h,•u t 1nne 1•ftict·r, . C1/fc II .11\\,>llt· 11.1-. 111bbt· J u r I ht·:,. 1,1,.•r'-· qurtkl~ 1n111t· d h~ .11111tht·r (11, l ,, 111ccr, 1n .111 tlllll.!l.!ed · l,,,1 \.1turd.1 , 111 lht· I h!,~,d .11t·.1 .,n d h.11!,\1111,ull\ llllll\.11"kt·d p,,lk," l,ll ··u

lhit ·:,, · .111 une mrl oyl.'"J

b lack ,ou1h ha,c-·! I Pl~l::AD Gl II.TY hi l tllll• plaining louJI~ about the w;1y animal s arc pornt k )~l) bruta lised in Bnll !->hlahorato rics . I PLEAD Gl ' II.TY to leading the auacb ,,n the Government for failing to s1anJ by prt:decl wn promi~s "h1eh hdped to ec=t11clc=cted. 1-PIL~D GUI.TY to publid; cnt1ci)ing the police ! I wok issue v.i1h thl."mafter a 'iimila r m1.."\:ting la ~l Juh v.a:- 1.. ·:tnl."cllcd under an in finding a plllii.:crnan I can lcll cxdu,n·m han \\ itlh1ul. in m~ them "hl'rt· .1 ~l10Jly number of ,1cu. prl11x·r w;1rni11g). rh.1m t·, \ ':illc, ·, linc )t \I.ere . But I .1111,1 b\, ah1J111gciu1cn . Our four ,i:hidc, \\l.'re pa rh·J I J ,111 ·1 th in~ I l.'1iuld h,..•dt.._1..·rihl.'\I llll a f\1aJ ,, hid1 h..i) Jou hk .1, 1111111 !.! 111111 .Ill\ kllt\\\11 , dh1 \\ linl·, J,n, n h olh eJ\.!c" ._·r11111n.tlg-n,up,. · i hrt't' e.tr:- \\t'rt· p.irl..c<l on ~111t· I .tm " ·nJin_!:! ;1 t"11p~ l,f 1h1:~1Jc 11f 1hc ro .1J O ne 1.·.tr v...i, ..1r11dc- IP Paul B11a1t:n!.! ~1 P. park ed ,111th,: 1ll her 11,, mt· ()ff1ec \ l i1~1-.1l.'r fh eri.: \\ ,1, 111c\1t.1 hl~. 1n1.. ·~1nre,r, 111,,t->kfllf th t· p,1l1te 't·1111..·n t e 1,, p .h ,111:! tth•h•n -.1,. I t·\p1.·,:t .in 1mmt·di.1ll' ,1ntl '.\,•Il k ' Ltd h• ,lu\\ J11\ \ 11 \l.111\ \\ 11unJ d,v,\11 lht·ir t, m,hn ,, t~1 ful-.,,mt· .qw ln~~ . I al,11 tkm:111d 1h1.·\ 1dt·1•film -.1.1r1.· 1:.!I'll tht· I ,,.1, .1-.1.·'1It• : m p1~ ,, u t m~ thn m.1dt· ,if m1.· -.1.111d11 p.t\·1.·111t·11 1 \, 11h m~ h1.•l :111~,n~-. p,,lt·h .1nd 111, b. 1~ .tnd I ,,.1, ,1.·.1 n.hnl h~ .t p,,hi.:crn.111 \I ~ -.pre. id arnund n1t·. ( Jr /1uJ /lrirui11 n ·ufl r hc 'i' Olllt ' hd 11n~111~,\\t 'rl' l.11d 11ut ,,n thl· u po/fr,· Jtat,· ,.-iti,out my p,1\l 'lllt'lll 11otfri11g:' I ht· p1>IIH· ,lid ,•lfr1 1,1 "·. 1rd 1 0

Thl' pnfin • daimrd that tht on-upant J of the rehicle - me, mJ teachu ,:ir/fritnd and tM Jrirl'r, a respatablt midH·ifein her .10s - hud hun sun ,utinx Juspidously.

t·.1111 t·.

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But nint· miles d11\\n the ro;.iJ l--reg hc,t:1 ",l:<> pulled o, ·er .1nJ ~1,1pped h~ a police ,an

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If the po lit·t· 1..":1n 1fo thi!, Ill me and l!cl ;ma, \\ilh it \\hat

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w h ich ha, ·c hr:t·n tran slated in111

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-\l"tc-rnan.h I ,,a s Jr in~n bad 1ntl1 0:1:for<l b\ the LkJiea tl.'J anti-, iv1:-eeti,111 ·l.·amp:iigner wlw haJ Jnven 11lt' ltlll:,,t ,1f thl.'"\\H " 111the- rail\ fn1m lhe :-tatu111ii1 lht· lir,t pi.Ke

P1d1:1

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Y1lU may nut agree \\ith me th ;1t \ ivi ')t'elitlll is a harhari 1..·.ind p1lintk:-s hu~incs:- . But if ,,1u Glrl' ahout :11111h1111.!

.1,,a, frl1111the :..lie ,,here I ,,: 1,

I ht·

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ha.,· happened to uur fre,,Jom Ju .'ipt•a!.. out about i:uues t,•hich 11·,• care ah<,ut pa .uionaft'ly and deeply ."

NewrW:ter No. 11

"I saw a cat with a machine in his brain The man who fed him said He didn't feel any pain I'd like to see that man take out that machine And stick it in his own brain You knowwhat I mean." Taken from the song Looking for Changes by Paul McCartney

EUROPEAN Cmel/y SUPPORT betayingl

As you can see from the letter to the right, Hillgrove Farm is known throughout Europe. Germany in particular, where many petitions, signatures and donations have come from. We would like to take this opportunity to thank one man in particular Hans Fischinger, who has worked tirelessly for the Hillgrove cats. Thank you Hans.

aclose

lrientlshiD THE message of the anti-Hill Grove Farm campaign has spread as far as my home town , Bad-Herrenalb , a picturesque health resort in the northern region of the Black Forest in Germ~nv

NÂˇEWSPAPERBIAS hy is it that the local evening newspaper to Hillgrove -The Oxford Mail has admitted that they receive dozens and dozens of letters for the letters page about Hillgrove every week yet they only print about one letter every two or three weeks. They always accept the police estimate for demo figures ie the police state 300 when in fact there are over 1,000 people there so Oxford Mail say that there was only 300 on the demo . They described the December 12th demo as a riot (yes laughable I know) and have in the past implied that Save the Hillgrove Cats have sent bombs to Hillgrove workers . They consistently portray the campaign in a negative light. We aren't really interested what the Oxford Mail thinks as

they seem to say the first thing that comes into their head, Ring them and ask them why they don't report about Hillgrove fairly. Call the Editor - Chris Cowley, Deputy Editor - Michael Davies or News Editor - John Chipperfield on 01865 425262 / 425500. If you would like to write to write letters to the local papers about Hillgrove Farm, please write to: The Oxford Mail / Times, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 6AJ Witney Gazette, 47 Market Square , Witney, OX8 6AJ The Cotswold Standard, 74 Dyer Street , Cirencester , Glos GL7 2PW

WITNESSES

H;~: ~dmidst peaceful and quiet forests, my husband and I have settled to spend the rest of our years. But soon enough , we were confronted with cruel acts against animals. We adopted ten charming , but abandoned and badly injured cats. During the ancient Egyptian dynasties , cats , those loveable individualists, were worshipped as sacred creatures. Over the centuries , they have become too closely linked to mankind to be sacrificed in such cruel a busi ness as carried on at Hill Grove Farm. There must be many Jou rnal readers who , like me and thousands of othe r animal campaigners around the globe . cannot accept this cold-blooded business exploit ing helpless creatures that canno t speak for themselves . Let us go forward and stop this animal wasting machinery . Magdalena Seifert Moench Strt, Bad-Herrenalb, Germany.

WANTED

Woman 57 " had her hood up and was wearing combat jacket and trousers. On Decembe r 12th in Oxford at about 3pm outside Waterstones/Debenhams. A chestnut police horse stood on her foot breaking a toe in two places. Ref:TD February 20th at Hillgrove Farm. A 35 year old woman was knocked to the ground by police officers and then ridden over by a mounted officer. This happened in the field adjacent to Brown's house. There was a lot of noise as the police screamed at her to get up but she couldn't because her ankle was broken. Her daughter was also assaulted by the police. Ref: DH October 17th in Oxford Can anyone remember PC 434 pushing over an elderly lady without warning . She is currently taking legal action against him Ref: MT If you witnessed any of the above incidents then please put it down on paper with as much detail as possible . We need times , police officer 's numbers, photogr aphs, video footage and eye witness accounts of exactly what you saw. Please send information into us with your name, address and telephone number. 21

PRISONERS'

AD -DRESSES

Thomas Monaghan BV6144, HMP Spring Hill, Grendon Underwood, Aylesbury, Bucks HP18 0TJ (12 months) Steve Caine BV5985, HMP Spring Hill etc. (9 months) · Tim Senior BV6384, HMP Spring Hill etc. (9 months) Peter Merson-Davies BV6385, HMP Spring Hill etc. (12 months) David Lakeman BV6386, HMP Spring Hill etc. (9 months) Paul Holiday BV6387, HMP Spring Hill etc. (12 months) Lucy Richards DT4387, HMP Eastwood Park, Falfield, Wootton-underEdge, Gloucester GL 12 8DB (8 months) Sue Amoss DT4388, HMP Eastwood Park etc. (12 months) All sentenced for "violent disorder" during a demo at Hillgrove Farm last April. Peter Merson-Davies and Sue Amoss were also given 14 days and 3 months respectively for "assault" on police officers. Robert Byott BV6392 , HMP Bullingdon, PO Box 50, Bicester, Oxon OX6 0PR (4 months) Karen Rodgers XT3702, HMP Drake Hall, Eccleshall, Staffs ST21 6LQ (5 months) Both sentenced for "threatening behaviour'' during a demo at Hillgrove Farm last April. Karen Rodgers runs a cat sanctuary. If you would like to make a donation to the sanctuary whilst Karen is on "holiday" then please make cheques PO's payable to Karen Rodgers and send them to The Animal House, 8 Norway St., Portslade, Brighton BN4 11GN. Gamal Eboe DD6568, HMP Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, Worcs, B97 6QF Sentenced to 4 months for burglary in relation to rescue beagles from Consort lab animal suppl iers during a demo there two years ago. Before the Hillgrove campaign we campaigned against Consort, which closed after 10 months of intensive pressure . D· La keman BV6368 HMP Spring Hill

Thanks for your letter. It means a I people on the outside that su ot to us that there are were exactly right we w PPort _usso much. You yesterday we wer~ trans~re o~ B wing at Bullingdon but was too bad but this pla er_re her~. I didn't think B wing how they've got the neri:/s u~~el~evable,I don't know (Me, Tim S, Paul H and Pet~ ea this place a prison! We that we were being moved i ~) we~e told yesterday our kit together. We thou ht :;1ve m1nut~s and to pack but a couple of hours latir w e were going to A wing got here we were driving e ended. up here. When we b around for fIftee · ecause the screw couldn't find .n minutes The kitchen staff were a b"t f the way in ! yesterday but this mornin I unny about the food four cartons of soya milk g we were all resented with of nuts and raisins and l~cid:a~t butter, ~armite, bags box. At lunch today we actuall hte~ bags in a cardboard was something I never saw at YB ~- green veg Which I should be able to get on th u ingd~n . the end of April but I don't si new t~gg1ng scheme at I had to stay here a while lo ppos~ Id be too worried if mates to bring a cassette ,nger. I m expecting some tomorrow which will be re PIIayer and some tapes in Ik · • a Y good eep thinking that as soon . back on the first Saturda b as I am out of here I'll go shut down by then Som Y fut hopefully the place will be . · e o us thought b . orange boiler suits and P . t· a out buying · ain ing our p · h t e back to piss the cops off H nson numbers on the chance to do it thou h . opefully we won't have A g . D;~:ay thanks again for your support_

r------------------------~ Order Form lr.nrli:>

Di:>cu-rintion

n,1~ntitv r.nc::t

Name:

Sub total

Address:

Donation IU IAL

il-'ostcoae: I I I I I I I I I I I

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Please make cheques payable to "Save the Hillgrove Cats". Send completed forms with cheque/ PO to: Box CB 111 Magdalen Rd Oxford OX4 1RQ

·------------------------

MERCHANDISE l'PPl'l9!~!'1!'!!'111'!1'1''!ft'I TOJ

Li Colour Leaflets

T-Shirt (Design 1)

T02&HT2 T-Shirt & Hooded Top (Design 2)

HILLGIIOVE fAIIM BIIEED CATSFOIiTOIITUII E

L2 Leaflets

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== ==+= =======~=== Petition ====+===== ===~=== =1 ====+======== ~===~ Form

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~~~~~=== P2 General Poster SAVETHE HILLGROVE CATS

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WORLD DM

at HILlGROYE FARM Saturday17th April12 noon

HILLGl':O\'E FARM !!REED CATS AND KITITNS FOR~ V!Yl5ECTION l'-IOUSTn THEY HAl'E 1,000 CATS ANO mnN5 AT THE FARM Ai nrrONE "llME. IUTTENS ARE sou:iFROM 1-m..1.GROV!: TO~~ 10 OAYS OlO

HELPSAVETHE HILLGROVE CATSI &OXCO, 111MAGDALENROAD,OXFORDa:i:4 1RQ

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HILLGROVE FARM BREEDS O Ya. l l ~IObdp-lb< Cl ..,. .,_1 _of L_

FOR LAIORRTOR9 RNlMALS

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CSJ Car Sticker

L3 A4 Leaflet

P4 D emo Poster

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CATS FOR TORTURE.

CLOSE IT DOWN ! ---

TOI T-Shirt (Design 1) Black XL £5.00 T02 T-Shirt (Design 2) Black XL £ 5.00 HT2 Hooded Top(Design 2) Black XL £15.00 VJ Save the Hillgrove Cats Video (notillustrated)Free PI Large Poster (A2 Colour -picture same as Li ) Free P2 General Poster (A4 Colour) Free ) P3 Demo Poster (A4 Colour) (onecopyenclosed Free shops) Free P4 Demo Poster (A4 Colour)(idealfor Si LI Colour Leaflet (A5) Free Sticker Free L2 Black & White Leafl et (A5) Free L3 A 4 Leaflet (explains who we are) Free FI Factsheet(4-page A 4) PFJ Petition Form Free Free CSJ Car Sticker (colour may vary) Free BJ Badge (colour may vary) Free SI Sticker (8cm x 8cm)

Ideal for phone boxes etc.