“Your Neighbour Kills Puppies,” by Tom Harris (vegan), Part 2 of 2

The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign was founded by British activists Greg Avery, Heather Nicholson, and Natasha Dellemagne (all vegans) in 1999 – after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released covert footage showing HLS staff abusing animal-citizens. When PETA halted its protests due to legal threats from HLS, SHAC took over. “It was undercover footage that was filmed in 1997. And it showed staff inside Huntingdon punching dogs in the face and throwing them against the wall. It was horrifying because this is what happens to these animals every single day.”

In 2009 and 2010, 13 SHAC members, including Tom Harris, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 months to 11 years for their roles in what were deemed lawful protests as part of the campaign. Seven of these activists have since formed the SHAC Justice Project to appeal their convictions and prevent miscarriage of justice in the future.

“This is my history, and not just mine, but my friends and a whole movement’s history. It has taken over 10 years to finally get this book published. I wanted people to at least have the opportunity to hear our side. The animal research industry thrives in secrecy and shadow. The one thing they fear more than anything is scrutiny. And with this book, I just wanted to be able to put that spotlight back on them.” “I just wish people would base their decisions in empathy, and that we would collectively just take a moment when we make decisions, and just find that empathy and try and root our decisions in that.”