When we imagine the process of developing new drugs, we often picture scientists working with cutting-edge technology in gleaming laboratories. But there’s a side of pharmaceutical research that is darker, hasn’t changed in decades, and escapes most people’s notice: the widespread and often painful testing conducted on animals.

We recently got a glimpse of that industry when Inotiv, one of the biggest animal testing companies in the United States, received the largest fine in history for violating the Animal Welfare Act, $11 million, for its cruel and neglectful treatment of thousands of beagles being bred for use in laboratories.