August 15, 2022 11.59 am This story is over 19 months old

Activists block Lincolnshire quarry gates in rabbit farm protest

Deliveries affected as protestors seek to raise awareness
By Local Democracy Reporter

A blockade protest is taking place outside a quarry in Lincolnshire, with animal rights activists criticising a boss with connections to a rabbit fur farm.

Activists from animal rights group Shut Down T&S Rabbits have been busy over recent weeks hosting protests in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Rutland, calling for T&S Rabbit Farms to be shut down across the country.

On Monday morning at around 4.30am they arrived at Goldholme quarry on Sleaford Road, Ancaster, again demanding that action is taken. The relevance to this quarry is that it is owned by Phil Kerry – who also runs T&S Rabbits.

The message is clear from the activists: they want T&S Rabbits’ farm shut down.

Protest action has taken place across various areas of the country.

Shut Down T&S Rabbits says the rabbit breeding farm neglects the animals as well as “slaughtering” them for their fur and meat to be sold by the company.

Goldholme Stone Ltd is a large supplier of limestone to national companies including Travis Perkins and Jewson Builders Merchants – with deliveries greatly affected by Monday’s protest action.

Activists tying banners to the entrance gates of Ancaster’s Goldholme quarry on Monday morning.

Limestone lorries have been turned away as the protests continue.

Protestors want to raise awareness of the company owner’s ties with the rabbit farm, claiming: “Activists have blockaded Goldholme not because they are against the quarry, but because they want to raise awareness about the fact that Phill Kerry, the owner, also owns T&S Rabbits, a rabbit fur farm that was investigated throughout this year, with multiple rabbits dying from neglect.

“Activists want for Phil to release the rabbits to loving homes. Failing that, they want to make sure that Goldholme customers like Jewson and Travis Perkins are made aware of who they are making business with.”

Police say protestors are behaving peacefully and will remain at the site until it is over.

An early start for the animal rights activists.

The group claims it will refuse to leave the quarry until “all rabbits are released from the last remaining rabbit farm” run by T&S Rabbits.

Lincolnshire Police arrived at the protest early on Monday morning, stating that the force has a “positive obligation” to ensure the action is peaceful – and officers confirmed that the activists are currently behaving “in a peaceful manner”. They will remain on scene until the protest has concluded.

Protestors vow to stay at the quarry until all rabbits are removed from T&S Rabbits’ farm.

Officers are reportedly having to turn away limestone lorries heading to the quarry for deliveries, and it is believed that a specialist team are on standby to attempt to free the activists from the lock-on device used to attach themselves to the gates.

Phil Kerry has likened the protests to a ‘witch hunt’ against him, suggesting that the activists should “get proper jobs” and stop “harassing” him. Read his full response here.

Allegations of neglect and treating rabbit fur farming “like a hobby” have prompted protestors to act.