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Ban Taxpayer-Funded Experiments on Dogs and Cats
Final signature count: 1,649
1,649 signatures toward our 30,000 goal
Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site
A bipartisan bill in Congress would ban federal funding for biomedical research on dogs and cats. Urge the House committee with the power to advance it.
Every year, dogs and cats — animals that live in our homes and share our lives — are subjected to painful, invasive procedures in federally funded laboratories. American taxpayers foot the bill, and there is currently no way to opt out.4 A new bipartisan bill in Congress aims to change that permanently.
The COMPACT Act
Introduced in September 2026 by Representatives Nick Langworthy (R-NY) and Mark Pocan (D-WI), the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing Act — the COMPACT Act (H.R.10522) — would ban the use of federal funds for biomedical research on dogs and cats.1,2 It would also require that animals surviving these experiments be made available for adoption rather than euthanized — a protection that existing federal law does not provide.3
What the Experiments Actually Involve
Investigators at the White Coat Waste Project documented federal agencies funding painful procedures on dogs and cats across multiple facilities — findings that helped drive the push for this legislation.5 Beagles are among the most common subjects, chosen for their docile temperament and manageable size. That gentleness, which makes them easy to handle in a lab, is exactly what makes the practice so difficult for most Americans to accept.
Current law offers minimal safeguards for animals once they enter a laboratory setting. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has detailed how inadequate those protections are — and why new legislation is necessary.3
Broad Support and Real Momentum
The COMPACT Act has drawn backing from across the political spectrum. Humane World for Animals formally endorsed the bill.7 Animal Wellness Action notes that its introduction coincides with the Trump administration's announced drawdown of federal animal testing programs — a rare alignment of executive and legislative priorities on the same issue.6
Representative Pocan has framed the bill as a matter of public will. Polling consistently shows that most Americans, once they learn their tax dollars support these experiments, oppose the practice regardless of party affiliation.8 This is not a niche concern. It is a mainstream one with growing momentum behind it.
Why This Moment Matters
The COMPACT Act is currently in committee before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That committee has the power to advance the bill toward a full House vote — or let it stall. Public pressure at this stage is not symbolic. It is one of the most effective tools constituents have to move legislation forward.
The bill does not ask federal agencies to abandon scientific progress. It asks that progress not come at the expense of companion animals — animals known for their loyalty and trust — paid for by a public that largely opposes it.4,8
Sign the petition now to urge the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to advance the COMPACT Act and send it to a full vote. Dogs and cats deserve better — and so do the taxpayers who fund these experiments without a choice.
