PAAW Act

This bill stops the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding any research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs or cats. “Significant pain or distress” means studies that fall into the Department of Agriculture’s pain categories D or E. The change takes effect 90 days after the bill becomes law.

Key points:

• Who is affected: NIH and any researchers or labs using NIH funds; dogs and cats in research settings.
• What changes: NIH can no longer run or pay for studies that put dogs or cats in pain or distress at the levels defined as categories D or E by the USDA.
• When: The ban begins 90 days after enactment.