Prohibits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs or cats.
Defines “research that causes significant pain or distress” as any study classified in pain category D or E by the Department of Agriculture.
Requires the NIH to publish and submit an annual report detailing the use of dogs and cats in NIH-conducted and funded biomedical research, including:
A list of all research projects involving dogs or cats that cause significant pain or distress.
For each project, details such as the project title, grant or contract number, research abstract, location, cost to taxpayers, number of animals used, start and end dates, Department of Agriculture pain and distress category, and funds obligated.
Efforts to phase out the use of dogs and cats in NIH research and barriers to such phase-out.
The number of dogs and cats retired and adopted from NIH research.
Mandates a study by the Comptroller General of the United States to:
Review and summarize the use of dogs and cats in NIH research.
Identify and assess NIH policies and initiatives aimed at reducing and replacing the use of dogs and cats in research.
Compare NIH efforts with other federal agencies.
Identify areas for improvement in efforts to reduce, replace, and retire dogs and cats from research.
Make recommendations for improving the effectiveness of these efforts and public reporting on progress.
The amendment made by the legislation applies beginning 90 days after the date of enactment.