NIH to Phase Out Funding for Dog and Cat Testing

In a groundbreaking shift, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced plans to phase out extramural grant funding for experiments involving dogs and cats. This decision comes after years of advocacy from animal welfare groups, including the White Coat Waste Project, and marks a major step toward more humane science.

In a recent interview, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer, Acting Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, discussed the agency’s evolving position. Dr. Kleinstreuer stated that she personally finds testing on dogs and cats “unconscionable” and emphasized that the NIH is working “tirelessly” to review current funding streams and develop an action plan to eliminate such experiments “as quickly as possible under the law.”

Importantly, intramural labs that once used beagles at the NIH campus have already shut down, signaling that this policy shift is not just symbolic but actively underway.

Ending dog and cat testing at the federal level would not only spare countless animals from unnecessary suffering but also accelerate the transition to modern, non-animal research methods that are often more reliable, efficient, and humane.

This change reflects a growing recognition that the bond we share with companion animals should be honored in all areas of society—including in science.

Take Action: Support the HEARTS Act of 2025

The NIH announcement is a huge step forward—but we must go further. To truly prioritize humane and effective research, Congress needs to pass H.R. 1291, the Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences (HEARTS) Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Ken Calvert [R-CA-41].

The HEARTS Act would:

• Amend the Public Health Service Act to require NIH to prioritize non-animal methods whenever feasible.

• Establish a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing.

• Expand modern research approaches that protect animals while advancing science.

In 2023, over 774,000 animals were used in federally regulated testing. That’s more than the entire population of Wyoming. By passing the HEARTS Act, we can begin to lower those numbers while encouraging safer, faster, and more humane research.

Together, we can build on NIH’s progress and ensure that the future of research is humane, innovative, and free from unnecessary animal suffering.