Naturewatch Foundation teams up with Fire Lily Studio and Paul Goodenough to launch a powerful short film and new fundraiser.
A poignant new short film, A Tail of Two Dogs, released today by animal welfare charity Naturewatch Foundation, shines a spotlight on the hidden suffering of dogs still used in laboratory experiments in the UK.
The animation draws attention to the stark contrast between a pet dog’s life and the fate of thousands bred for scientific research.
The short film follows a day in the life of two dogs: Toby, a beloved family dog, and ‘43’, a nameless laboratory beagle. Created by Fire Lily Studio, the animation provides a moving portrayal of the two dogs’ very different realities.
The launch coincides with a national fundraising campaign by Naturewatch Foundation to support its work for animals, including the launch of a new grant to help fund the development of non-animal testing methods.
Despite public opposition, 3,565 scientific procedures were carried out on beagles in British laboratories in 2023. Beagles are primarily used in regulatory toxicity tests, which can see dogs being dosed repeatedly with harmful substances, sometimes for more than 90 days. ’43’ represents the thousands of dogs who endure lives devoid of freedom, comfort, or companionship.
Kate Salmon, Campaign Manager at Naturewatch Foundation, said: “The dogs used in experiments are no different from those we share our family homes with. It’s disgraceful that in 2025, here in the UK, thousands of dogs and hundreds of thousands of other animals are still subjected to experiments. Our new short film hammers it home that behind every animal experiment is an individual whose life matters.”
Ben Sinclair, Founder of Fire Lily studio said: “This is not a fictional animation. At Fire Lily Studio, our work is inspired by real animals facing real suffering. In this film, scenes from 43’s life are based on actual footage of dogs confined in labs — stuck in cold routines and handled by clinical, uncaring hands.
We try to do our part for animal rights by telling their stories through the power of animation. What matters most to us is showing how they feel — giving people a chance to connect with that emotion. Real footage can be too painful to watch, but animation gives us another way in — one that builds empathy through character and story.”
Writer and producer, Paul Goodenough, said: “If I had one wish right now, it would be that this film didn’t exist. Not because it’s not amazing, it really is…I just wish it didn’t need to be made, and we could instead be
celebrating a film that announced the end of animal testing, forever. And to all the 43’s in the world, I’m sorry.
We are fighting for you.”
Naturewatch Foundation wants to see animal testing replaced with animal-free alternatives and is calling on the public to take positive action to help animals in laboratories. This includes sharing the animation, using the charity’s Compassionate Shopping Guide to shop cruelty-free, and donating to support its wider animal welfare work.
Tail of Two Dogs, the short film, is available to watch at https://youtube.com/shorts/2Y3x_Vi67uY?feature=share. To donate and find out more information on beagle testing please visit: https://naturewatch.org/campaigns/animal-experiments/beagle-testing/
Distributed by Pressat
T. +44 (0)1242 252871Additional Contact(s):
Sarah Carr, CEO
sarah@naturewatch.org