Summary

Requires federal research facilities and other federal entities that operate laboratory animal facilities or exhibit animals to adopt rules and procedures that facilitate placing animals no longer needed for research into rescues, sanctuaries, shelters, qualified private adopters, or collaborations with nonprofit organizations. Agencies must publish regulations (after public notice and comment) within 90 days of enactment; a licensed veterinarian must determine whether an animal is “suitable for retirement.” The measure excludes rats (genus Rattus) and mice (genus Mus) from the covered animals and preserves state or local laws that are more stringent, as well as existing chimpanzee sanctuary placement provisions.

Key Points

• Federal research facilities must issue regulations within 90 days to encourage placement of retired research animals.
• Placement options include rescues, sanctuaries, shelters, private adopters, and prioritized sanctuaries for nonhuman primates.
• A licensed veterinarian must evaluate and certify whether an animal is suitable for retirement.
• Rats (genus Rattus) and mice (genus Mus) are explicitly excluded from the definition of covered animals.
• Regulations must encourage collaboration with nonprofit organizations and consider national placement options.
• The law preserves state or local animal welfare laws that are more stringent and does not preempt them.
• No new funding or appropriations are provided in the text; agencies must implement requirements within existing resources unless appropriations follow.
• Technical renumbering changes are made to the Animal Welfare Act without substantive policy shifts in those provisions.

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