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 Killing is a common occurrence at Harlan UK. Mass killing days are the company's way of dealing with 'surplus stock', while elderly females are disposed of when they are no longer 'productive'. |
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Projecting sales is a difficult task for any company but for those in the business of animal breeding, the excess stock cannot simply be recycled. Sometimes, the easiest option is to cut your losses and scrap the product. In Harlan UK's case this means the mass killing of dogs surplus to requirements.
The primary reason for slaughter is simple over-breeding. During the past year, as demand has fallen, Harlan UK has undertaken the regular slaughter of a particular strain of beagle that is no longer proving popular with its customers. Larger and older dogs (in research terms) are also difficult to sell and so may be killed. These dogs are only between 12 - 18 months old. The dogs are given an injection in a vein in their foreleg. Sometimes the first attempt goes wrong, resulting in a ‘blow out'. The dog then has to be quickly injected in the other leg before it starts convulsing. Our investigation revealed that between January 98 and March 99, around 250 healthy dogs were destroyed - surplus to requirements. Harlan UK has special 'mass killing' days - for example, on 23rd July 98 when 29 dogs were killed. |
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Dogs that have a physical abnormality are called 'non-conforming products' (NCP), making them more difficult to sell. They are allocated a 'red card'. Generally considered unsuitable for research, they are normally killed. Such abnormalities may include a stumpy tail, heart murmur, undershot jaw or having only one testicle. These dogs may be bled prior to death for blood products. Again, minimum input to yield maximum output.
Some customers only want blood serum or plasma products. Dogs are killed and bled according to customer requirements.
In a sad twist to an already desperate life, breeding females may even be sold onto vivisection laboratories - an aspect actually promoted in Harlan UK's brochure. Once dead, the dogs are put into yellow plastic sacks and placed in a skip. |
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