Sponsors (2)
The bill increases rehoming and long‑term care options for many federal research animals (notably primates) and preserves stronger local protections, but it excludes the most commonly used lab species (rats and mice) and creates administrative and cost burdens for agencies and research facilities.
Nonprofits, sanctuaries, and individual adopters can receive medically fit federal research animals (with nonhuman primates required to go to licensed sanctuaries), increasing retirements and long‑term care options for those animals.
Nationwide placement and formal collaboration with 501(c)(3) nonprofits is encouraged, improving chances that federal research animals will be rehomed rather than euthanized or otherwise disposed of.
State and local jurisdictions keep the ability to maintain stronger animal welfare protections, preserving higher standards where states or localities choose them.
Hospitals, research institutions, nonprofits, and the public are left without new retirement options for the most commonly used lab animals because rats (Rattus) and mice (Mus) are excluded from covered animals.
Facilities and taxpayers may incur additional costs because animals must be evaluated by licensed veterinarians and arrangements made for national placement or sanctuary transfers.
Federal agencies must adopt implementing regulations within 90 days, creating administrative burden and potential compliance costs for agency staff and programs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires federal agencies running lab or exhibit animal facilities to adopt standards and issue regulations within 90 days to retire and place research animals (rats and mice excluded).
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Susan Margaret Collins · Last progress March 24, 2026
Requires federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities that operate laboratory animal facilities or exhibit animals to follow existing Animal Welfare Act standards and to issue regulations within 90 days to facilitate retirement, placement, and adoption of animals no longer needed for research. The bill defines key terms (including sanctuaries, rescues, shelters, and nonprofit organizations), excludes animals of the genera Rattus and Mus (common rats and mice) from the covered-animal definition, mandates placement priorities (including sanctuary placement for nonhuman primates), and preserves stronger state or local animal welfare laws and an existing chimpanzee sanctuary placement statute.