Campaigners gather more than 370,000 signatures for petition against planned puppy breeding centre for medical research

East Yorkshire breeding centre is intended to supply beagles for medical research

Campaigners are calling for the government to reverse a decision to allow the breeding centre to go ahead (Change.org/Emma Hart)

Campaigners opposing a planned puppy breeding centre in East Yorkshire have gathered more than 370,000 signatures for a petition calling on the government to stop the facility going ahead.

The centre in Grimston, near Hull, is intended to supply beagle puppies for medical research.

East Yorkshire Council had rejected plans by the company B&K Universal for the centre, but the company appealed and the Council's decision was overturned by Greg Clark, the communities secretary.

Clark said the decison needed to be based strictly on planning law.

Campaigners, using a petition hosted on Change.org, are calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to reverse that decision and in less than a week they have gathered more than half their hoped-for 500,000 signatures.

B&K Universal's plans for the site suggest that 200 dogs and 180 puppies could be kept there. The facility will be one of only two breeding centres in the UK.

The petition says the animals bred at the centre "will never know love compassion, just pain, suffering and neglect".

B&K Universal is a UK division of the US firm Marshall BioResources, which says it produces "ethically produced laboratory animal models" for scientists and businesses.