Meet Three Amazing Former Laboratory Dogs Who Escaped Death

Dogs have long been cited as “man’s best friend” and yet many people remain entirely unaware as to how much suffering these faithful friends endure every day inside laboratories around the world.

The BUAV’s recent revelations of the day-to-day reality for dogs in one U.K. laboratory has shocked and appalled the general public and mobilized them behind the organization’s new campaign: Our Best Friends. The campaign is calling for the government to end all experiments on dogs and cats in the U.K.

It will no doubt be distressing for the compassionate readers of One Green Planet to learn not only about the large numbers of dogs suffering in experiments, but also the routine killing of dogs and puppies who are no longer required by laboratories. Dogs who could have been released into loving homes are instead denied their freedom and simply killed. While the BUAV’s campaign gains more momentum to end cat and dog experiments, we are able to share the news of three dogs lucky enough to leave the laboratory behind them. We are highlighting their tales to call for a change in policy, in which facilities are required to find homes for animals where possible.

Here’s hoping we can soon share more happy endings like those of Oliver, Bonnie, and Billie.

Oliver’s Story

Born into a litter of seven, little beagle pup, Oliver, was the only dog from his family lucky enough to escape death and leave the laboratory where he was born. His siblings were used in tests and then killed at just a few months old, while his mother was killed within minutes of having her puppies taken away for experiments, because she no longer served a purpose.

Oliver’s second chance at life came about after a BUAV undercover investigator was working for eight months at MSD Animal Health. The investigator was able to save three dogs from certain death.  All these animals have now been placed in secure, loving homes and will never need fear for their life again.

Now a healthy, happy, and free dog, Oliver enjoys nothing more than to race around the field with his canine chums and spend the weekends playing on the beach.

The BUAV believes it is entirely unacceptable that the same chance was not given to his mother, brother, and sisters and so we are calling for the mandatory release of all animals where possible.

Bonnie and Billie’s Stories

The two other dogs who were able to walk out to freedom alongside our investigator were nursing mothers, Bonnie and Billie. At three and six years old, respectively, they had only ever known life as breeding “machines,” producing  puppies who were taken away only to be experimented on and killed.

Like all animals, these loving girls have the right to life and to live in a safe and comfortable home. Thankfully, this has now become a reality for them as they enjoy lives in the country, with new canine housemates and nothing but care and comfort to enjoy and no pain or suffering to endure.

This World Lab Animal Day, we are reiterating our call for an end to cruel and outdated animal tests, while also appealing to the U.K. Home Office to make it a mandatory requirement for  laboratories to find homes for dogs, cats, and other animals ‘no longer required’ where possible. We believe that steps can be made to change the lives of individual animals in laboratories, while we campaign for freedom for them all.

Oliver, Bonnie, and Billie were lucky enough to make it to this World Lab Animal Day but, sadly, for thousands of others, it is a very different, and tragic, fate.

One Green Planet readers could help us change that fate today.

If you want to help the BUAV, please visit Our Best Friends campaign right here to take action today. You can also get involved on Twitter by using the hashtag #OurBestFriends and by posting a photo of your best friend, telling the world why they, like Oliver, believe no animal should be in a laboratory.

All images: BUAV