Greg Avery

Greg Averyis a British animal rights activist. He is chiefly known as a founding member of several influential animal rights campaigns – focusing on opposition to the animal testing industry. His latest involvement is with Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), an international campaign to force the closure of Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), an animal-testing company based in the UK and US.

Avery was born and raised near Buxton in Derbyshire, one of six brothers. He joined the animal rights movement at the age of 15, and has devoted himself to it full-time ever since.

SHAC campaign

Avery and Heather Nicholson started SHAC in November 1999 after video footage shot covertly inside HLS by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was aired on British television.

Until their 2008 arrests, the "senior members" of SHACNicholson and the Averys published reports on the SHAC website and by mail, and provided press information and interviews. The website and mailing list serve as a platform for supporters. The senior members would meet every three months to discuss their campaign, compile reports and receive updates from colleagues in the United States and Europe.

The Guardian writes that the group "targeted thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies in attacks designed to shut down HLS"

Arrests and convictions

On 1 May 2007, after a series of raids involving 700 police officers in England, Amsterdam, and Belgium, 32 people linked to SHAC were arrested, including Avery and Dellemagne, who were charged with conspiracy to blackmail in connection with the SHAC campaign.

He was also served with an indefinite ASBO, restricting his future contact with companies targeted in the campaign.