Pentagon’s New Restrictions on Animal Testing
The Pentagon is now prohibited from conducting painful experiments on dogs and cats, following the recent defense policy bill signed by President Trump.
This legislative change was initiated by Congress after lawmakers expressed outrage over reports that the Navy was financing experiments that involved shocking and crippling cats for research related to erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
While the Navy had already ceased testing on dogs and cats after these revelations, this new law extends the ban across the entire Defense Department.
“Research methods involving dogs and cats are outdated. We must adopt more scientific approaches to improve lives,” stated Representative Don Davis, a Democrat from North Carolina who supported these changes. “Opposing cruelty to animals is a universal value that transcends political affiliations.”
The law permits some research as long as it does not inflict pain. The Secretary of Defense has the authority to waive this ban if an experiment is deemed necessary for national security.
The White Coat Waste Project, which brought attention to the Navy’s cat project earlier this year and has long advocated against taxpayer-funded animal testing, views this legislation as a significant achievement.
“The Trump administration has cut tens of millions of dollars in animal testing exposed by our investigations,” said Anthony Bellotti, president of WCW. He highlighted actions taken by various federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health’s decision to reduce experiments involving gender transitions in animals and drug testing on beagles.
The momentum behind these changes has been fueled by a diverse coalition ranging from bipartisan lawmakers to influential figures like Laura Loomer, members of Trump’s family, Elon Musk, Roger Stone, and progressive activists such as Ben Cohen from Ben & Jerry’s.
“Taxpayer money should not fund wasteful animal testing globally—and thanks to advocacy efforts alongside leadership from both Congress and the Trump administration, we are moving towards ending this practice,” Bellotti remarked.
The determination of what constitutes a painful experiment falls under Agriculture Department policies that outline various levels of research-related pain. For instance, putting a puppy on a diet or performing basic injections is permissible; however, procedures like surgical implants or inducing tumors are strictly forbidden.
Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican known for her scrutiny of government spending, pointed out that U.S. funds often support overseas laboratories conducting painful animal experiments. “Our furry friends and American citizens will be safer with defense dollars focused on protecting our homeland rather than funding questionable pseudoscience,” she emphasized.
