Boaz, a neuropsychologist who conducts experiments in “comparative conditioning” on dogs, explains to his newly hired assistant Maia the procedures of the experiment, confirming that she is aware that the experiments are terminal for the dogs. She confirms that she understands and that she is “not a coward.” They begin the 3-4 month experiment, and one day, she watches one dog test subject, clearly made uncomfortable by the shocking electrodes and restraining collar that immobilize him. She remarks, “Do a good job, Mustard, an you’ll be the first on to get your head cut off.” Boaz, spectating from the his desk in the laboratory smiles affirmatively. 

Much later, after a few of the dogs have run the course of the experiment trials, Maia prepares them for anesthetic inoculation to be terminated, and their brains harvested while Boaz, having misplaced the proper needle, searches for the proper equipment. Maia tries to eat before the procedure, but gives the dogs her meal instead. Boaz arrives with the needle and the two commence the inoculation procedure. Afterwards, they are both shaken by the experience. On their drive from their laboratory to where the dogs would be dissected, their car slides off the road and into a muddy ditch. As Boaz frantically recovers himself, Maia, glassy-eyed and unspeaking, looks straight ahead to avoid seeing the heavily anesthetized dogs in the back, contorted from slamming into the side of car during the accident. They deliver the dogs to the surgery lab and they quickly leave, the chief physiologist remarking that they were expected to stay, but quite understood their “natural squeamishness.”