BUAV can now reveal the findings of a daring infiltration to expose, for the very first time, the dark secrets of breeding thousands of dogs for research in the UK every year. It is a trade that is perfectly legal, indeed sanctioned by our Government. A very profitable trade but one that survives on secrecy. Through the brave efforts of our investigations team, one of whom went undercover as an employee, we can now reveal what goes on behind those closed doors. Revealing what neither the company nor the Government want the public to see - the mass production of 'man's best friend'.

Inside Harlan UK breeding establishment in Leicestershire there could be, at any one time, up to 1,000 beagle dogs; 200 females that spend their meagre lives producing litter after litter; 20 or so male ‘stud' dogs, their sole purpose to 'service' the females; 100-200 suckling pups, vulnerable, unknowing of their fate, and 500-600 male and female ‘stock' dogs awaiting shipment to their buyers - experimental labs. The Harlan UK Group, made up of breeding establishments throughout the country, sells to labs across the world.

Identified only by a number, each animal has a commercial value - selling for anything up to £800. The 'overproduction' of the dogs results in the mass slaughter of those past their 'sell-by-date' - possibly only months old yet too expensive to maintain with little hope of a sale. Even those dogs that cannot be sold to the research industry because of physical 'imperfections' have a value. They may be killed for their blood.