a killing method commonly referred to as "breaking the neck" that would more accurately be described as "snapping the spine." The goal is to quickly separate the spinal cord from the brain to provide a fast and painless death. The separation must take place at the base of the brain or within the upper third of the neck (the cervical spine area). It's used primarily for small to medium-sized birds (duck sized or smaller) and small mammals, such as mice and rabbits. For details, see chapter five.