AAVS News
July 29, 2025
For Animals Behind the Laboratory Door
Support the Federal Animal Research Accountability Act
Over 774,000 animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) were used in labs in 2024, according to data released in July by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While this number includes dogs, cats, primates, rabbits, and other certain other warm-blooded animals, it represents approximately only 5% of all animals in labs. The other 95% are mostly mice, rats, and birds, bred for research, as well as fish, and because they are not covered by the AWA, we don’t know their exact numbers and what levels of pain and distress they are forced to endure.
However, the Federal Animal Research Accountability Act would help provide transparency to an industry that otherwise would hide the brutal realities of animal experiments behind closed doors.
Currently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) collects only crude estimates on the number of animals used in the research that it funds every four years, and this information is only accessible through months-long Freedom of Information Act requests. This bipartisan bill, however, would require NIH-funded facilities to count and report how many animals they use, house, and breed each year. These numbers would be broken down by the pain and distress animals are forced to endure, indicating whether or not anesthetics and pain relief were given, and would be made available through a public database.
Having better metrics for reporting should enable better oversight, ensure that alternatives to painful procedures are considered, and hopefully provide more accountability. Please contact your Representative and urge him/her to support the Federal Animal Research Accountability Act!
Other News
Leaping Bunny and Rare Beauty
Leaping Bunny Program Manager Kim Paschen was interviewed by Rare Beauty, a brand co-founded by Selena Gomez and certified cruelty-free in 2024. With no legal definition of cruelty-free, Kim explains what makes the Leaping Bunny certification so vital for compassionate consumers who want no animal testing in their personal care and household products.
Netherlands to End Public Funded Primate Research?
The Dutch House of Representatives has voted to phase out public funding for primate experiments by 2030, with financial support shifting to the development and use of non-animal methods. However, the vote caused a stir in the biomedical research community, particularly with those who use primates, which has led to the Senate budget vote being delayed until September, according to a separate news item by the European Animal Research Association.
Sanctuary Moment
Peaceable Primates
Does Anakin Remind You of Anyone?
There’s little doubt that the baboons and macaques living at the Peaceable Primates Sanctuary in Indiana enjoy a treat of sweet corn strait from the cob! Take a look at Anakin, a baboon formally used in research. See how he shucks the corn and looks for the perfect first bite. Does he remind you of anyone…maybe you? It’s amazing how human-like his mannerisms are!
While it’s fun to watch, it’s unlikely that Anakin would have had access to such a summer treat when he was used for experiments in the lab. We’re grateful that Anakin is now safe in sanctuary and for the special care that the folks at Peaceable Primates provide.
Peaceable Primates is a long-time recipient of AAVS Sanctuary Fund grants and does a great job sharing the lives of its resident baboons and macaques on social media. Be sure to check them out!