NIH Faces Scrutiny for Funding New Dog Tests Despite Pledge to Reduce Animal Research

Earlier this year, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new initiative to reduce animal testing and expand the use of “human-based technologies” — such as organ-on-a-chip systems, clinical data modeling, and artificial intelligence tools. The announcement was hailed as a milestone in shifting toward more humane, human-relevant science.

However, recent findings suggest that the NIH’s actions may not yet match its promises.

New Grants, Old Practices

Documents obtained by White Coat Waste Project (WCW) through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal that since the April announcement, the NIH has approved nine new grants for dog research totaling over $12 million and extended nine additional studies with combined costs exceeding $42 million.

The watchdog group estimates that, in total, more than $1.3 billion in NIH funds currently support about 193 dog and cat experiments across the U.S. — ranging from drug toxicology tests to vaccine studies that expose animals to painful or invasive procedures.

WCW’s senior vice president, Justin Goodman, called the findings “a disconnect between rhetoric and reality,” emphasizing that 95% of drugs tested on animals fail in human trials due to biological differences.

NIH Responds

In response to the criticism, NIH officials reaffirmed their commitment to reducing reliance on animal models. An NIH spokesperson stated that future funding announcements will “emphasize human-relevant data” and expand investment in non-animal research methods (NAMs).

The agency plans to establish a new Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA) to accelerate this transition and has already ended certain controversial animal studies, including experiments involving monkeys and the closure of on-campus beagle labs.

Acting Deputy Director Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer said in a recent NIH podcast,

“I don’t think we should do research on dogs and cats — absolutely not. We are constrained under the law to leave those existing grants in place for now, but we are working tirelessly to phase them out.”

The Path Forward

While critics say progress has been slow, many animal welfare advocates acknowledge the NIH’s new direction as historic and promising. The transition toward non-animal testing is complex, but momentum is building across federal agencies — including the FDA, which recently outlined its own roadmap to end animal experiments in preclinical drug testing.

Ohio Animal Advocates supports innovation that advances both human health and animal welfare. Continued public attention, policy oversight, and investment in humane science will be key to ensuring taxpayer dollars fund research that is both ethical and effective.

Take Action: Support Humane Science

You can help advance alternatives to animal testing by urging your senators to support the FDA Modernization 3.0 Act (S. 355).
This bill would facilitate the development of non-animal testing methods and accelerate the use of human-relevant technologies in medical research.

Together, we can help ensure that taxpayer dollars fund innovation — not animal suffering.

Source: The Guardian