Dr. Moreau began his experiments when he was a respected surgeon living in London. Purely out of curiosity, he began experimenting with using vivisection as a means of restructuring animals into humans. He chose the human form simply because he thought it would make an interesting challenge. However, Moreau was forced to halt his experiences and leave London when a dog he had been operating on escaped from his lab and ran screaming into the streets. While leaving London, he recruited Montgomery, an alcoholic medical student who had killed a man ina drunken stupor to be his assistant. Knowing that he faced exile or prison, Montgomery gladly went with Moreau.