-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PpA4/v1s2p9xhoy7r8Jvd/jmUAFau1sfeU058vXU8mUWUdw2obuPIgHyaz3f6g8c
 BVSeVKXvAmqOqKE81TQB5Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001100682-03-000103.txt : 20030822
<SEC-HEADER>0001100682-03-000103.hdr.sgml : 20030822
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030822104116
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001100682-03-000103
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030820
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030822

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001100682
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS (NO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES) [2836]
		IRS NUMBER:				061397316

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		261 BALLARDVALE STREET
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01867
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9786586000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		251 BALLARDVALE ST
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01887

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19991208

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHUBB STEPHEN D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001144771

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15943
		FILM NUMBER:		03861494

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O MATRITECH INC
		STREET 2:		330 NEVADA STREET
		CITY:			NEWTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02460
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6179280820

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O MATRITECH INC
		STREET 2:		330 NEVADA STREET
		CITY:			NEWTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02460
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001144771d20030822f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-20</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001100682</issuerCik><issuerName>CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001144771</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>CHUBB STEPHEN D</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>251 BALLARDVALE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>01887</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOw
ner><nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-06-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>28.15</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exercis
eDate><value>2003-05-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-05-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>33.7</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-03</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-05-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>600
0</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>35.05</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</
value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-20</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-08-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options become exercisable one year from the date of grant</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Deborah E. Gray</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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