Beagles Are Bred for Research. Activists Are Pushing Back.

About 400 protesters rallied outside Marshall BioResources’ headquarters in Huron, N.Y., targeting the company that breeds animals for biomedical research. The demonstrators—some traveling 200 miles from Albany—said live animal testing is outdated and unreliable and accused Marshall, described as the nation’s largest breeder of dogs for research, of inhumane treatment. Marshall CEO Scott Marshall disputed the claims, saying the firm follows industry best practices and federal law and that July USDA site inspections found no critical deficiencies. The action follows earlier confrontations in Wisconsin, including an attempted raid at Ridglan Farms involving tear gas and rubber bullets, with potential prison exposure for some activists. Congress has bipartisan proposals to bar federal funds for live dog and cat research.