An animal rights group has launched a campaign against four major medical research charities, calling for the public to withhold donations until the organisations pledge to cease testing on animals.

The British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Parkinson’s UK and the Alzheimer’s Society have all come under attack by the Animal Aid campaign, which kicked off its campaign with an in-depth report titled ‘Victims of Charity’ outlining the charities use of animals in their research.

The Animal Aid campaign will see national newspaper advertisements call on the public to stop making donations, leaving legacies and visiting the four charities’ shops until they agree to change their research methods. The organisation, which is not itself a charity, will also encourage its campaign supporters to send postcards outlining their feelings to the chief executives of the charities.

Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, said, “Our high-profile campaign will put the charities under a great deal of pressure to rethink their research strategy.”

The charities attacked have hit back, with statements on their websites outlining the importance of using animals in some medical experimentation. In an apparent response to the Animal Aid campaign, Cancer Research UK’s director of science funding Dr David Scott pointed out that it is a legal requirement in the UK that drugs are tested on animals before they are deemed fit for human trial.