Sponsors (55)
Official title: To amend the Animal Welfare Act to allow for the adoption or non-laboratory placement of certain animals used in Federal research, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 7, 2025 by Nancy Mace · Last progress May 7, 2025
The bill improves welfare and public safety by moving eligible surplus research animals into vetted sanctuaries and shelters and creating clearer sanctuary standards, but it imposes administrative burdens, operational restrictions, and added costs that could limit placement options and raise expenses for agencies and animal care organizations.
Nonprofits, animal shelters, and sanctuaries will have increased opportunities to receive and rehome eligible surplus research animals (dogs, cats, NHPs, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits) because federal research facilities must adopt placement standards and transfer animals within one year.
The public and receiving animal organizations face lower risk of disease or harm from transferred animals because animals must have veterinary certification within 10 days before release.
Animal sanctuaries and rescue organizations gain clearer accountability and improved welfare protections (e.g., lifetime refuge, no breeding, restricted public contact) through sanctuary registration and operational conditions.
Animal sanctuaries and shelters may face reduced placement options and increased operational constraints because restrictions (no public visitation, no commercial activity) could limit how sanctuaries operate and absorb animals.
Federal agencies and taxpayers will incur administrative and compliance costs to develop, implement, and monitor new placement standards and sanctuary registration requirements.
Research facilities and receiving organizations may face delays and additional veterinary expenses due to the 10‑day pre-release veterinary certificate requirement, which could slow transfers and raise costs for rescues and sanctuaries.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires federal research facilities to adopt standards (within one year) to enable adoption or non-laboratory placement of specified research animals and imposes registration/conditions on sanctuaries.
Requires federal laboratory animal facilities to create and follow standards that facilitate adoption or placement of certain animals no longer needed for research, and tightens rules for animal sanctuaries. It keeps existing Animal Welfare Act obligations for federal research facilities while adding definitions (eligible animals, sanctuaries, suitable for release) and specific sanctuary registration and care requirements, with new standards to be promulgated within one year of enactment. The change affects federal research labs, researchers, animal rescue organizations and sanctuaries, and nonprofit shelters by creating required procedures for transferring dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits out of research settings and by limiting activities and access at registered sanctuaries.