The group launched an online petition against the use of taxpayer money for the UK Government funding of primate tests, signed by thousands of people,[2] and criticised Newcastle University's Institute of Neuroscience for conducting experiments on macaques, calling for the UK Government to stop funding the experiments, and calling on Newcastle University to release the animals.

[3] More than fifty people attended a protest outside of the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control in Potters Bar, which the AVC claims continues to test old drugs on animals unnecessarily.

The group's efforts rejuvenated a prior campaign against the practice, stating: "2014 marks 10 years since the British people spoke out against sickening primate experiments by stopping a new monkey laboratory being built in Cambridge.

A Spokesperson for AVC stated: "Our demonstration at the University of Cambridge was to show the public the sickening face of primate tests, where animals have had their skulls cut open and electrodes implanted into their brains."

University spokespeople reiterated their support for animal testing, saying that it "offers the greatest hope of effective treatments for conditions such as cancer, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, strokes and transplants".