The Dog That Changed Science

In 1965, the Dalmatian Pepper was stolen from her family's home. Today, Slate began its five-part weeklong series about the pet that ignited the animal-rights movement. Pepper was sold into animal testing and received nationwide attention when her owners sought the help of animal welfare activists, who worked to pass laws regulating inhumane animal testing. Though Pepper died in a testing facility soon after being stolen, her journey from one dog dealer to another pulled on the heartstrings of lawmakers everywhere. Dan Engber's part-reporting, part-storytelling, part-memoir of his own experiences testing animals (don't worry, not dogs) makes for a compelling read. "Dogs are like family members," Pepper's owner Julia Lakavage once said. "Children that don't grow up."