ACCORDING to the non-animal research charity, Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, more human-relevant medical advancements can and should be made without the use of animals.

The charity states more than 4,129 dogs were used in 2009 in Great Britain for the purposes of scientific procedures, with beagles making up the vast majority.

A spokesman said: "We have funded more than 140 projects in the past 41 years and believe, based on the conditions the dogs endure under scientific procedures, investment capital should be better spent on developing human-relevant alternative techniques to replace the use of dogs and other animals.

"We are working towards a future where animal testing is a thing of the past so beagles no longer suffer in labs.

"Through our work, we fund cutting-edge medical research projects which have helped make significant scientific advancements and saved the lives of both animals and humans."