Here’s a roundup of the latest, biggest news stories related to animal research—all the recent media coverage you need to know right now to be the most effective activist for animals in labs.
Graphic Content Warning
Ridglan Farms: The Horrific Fates of Dogs Not Rescued
Rise for Animals, 6/5/2026
Weeks ago, the world watched beagles leave Ridglan Farms for freedom. But some dogs were sold into laboratories instead.
New records and photographs we obtained appear to reveal what happened to them next. 📰 Full Story →
Ridglan Farms beagles sacrificed in painful experiments at UW-Madison
Fox6 News Milwaukee, 6/5/2026
Fox6 Investigator Bryan Polcyn interviewed Lindsey Soffes, Head of Programs at Rise for Animals, to unpack what we uncovered about Ridglan Farms-bred beagles used in experiments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 📰 Watch Now →
Monkey Lab Loophole: Washington’s Dangerous Double Standard
Rise for Animals, 6/3/2026
Monkey labs shouldn’t be allowed to keep critical public-health information out of public view. Washington must close a loophole that lets monkey labs avoid reporting dangerous infectious diseases. 📰 Full Story →
Animal advocates protest animal experimentation outside breeding facility in Wayne County
13 WHAM, 5/28/2026
“Animal advocates are teaming up to protest a company they say is one of the largest breeders of animals used for experimentation in the U.S. Members of nonprofit organizations Beagle Lovers and Rescuers, Inc. and Against All Oddz Animal Alliance, Inc. are holding a three-day protest outside Marshall BioResources, also known as Marshall Farms….”
“In a statement, the advocates said Marshall houses some 66,000 animals, including more than 20,000 beagles, and voiced concerns about conditions.” 📰 Full Story →
Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay to join Camp Beagle protest
Sophie Skyring, The Hunts Post, 5/28/2026
“Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay is set to visit a site of national protest in support of animal welfare. Mr Ramsay will meet campaigners at Camp Beagle on Tuesday, June 3, outside MBR Acres in Huntingdon, to hear concerns about animal breeding and testing, and calls for greater investment in alternatives to animal experimentation.”
“‘The visit highlights the Green Party’s longstanding commitment to animal welfare and support for the development of effective alternatives to animal testing.’” 📰 Full Story →
Where cats and dogs suffer in German laboratories
Doctors Against Animal Experiments, 5/28/2026
“The German association Doctors Against Animal Experiments has, for the first time, carried out a comprehensive investigation into which facilities in Germany use dogs and cats in animal experiments. The investigation identified 19 facilities where experiments on dogs and cats have taken place in recent years. Every year, between 2,200 and 4,500 dogs and between around 500 and over 1,100 cats are used in laboratories.”
“The investigation also documents a wide range of cruel experiments. Dogs were used, for example for research into heart failure, pain studies, toxicity tests and dental experiments. Experiments on cats were carried out in fields such as animal nutrition, brain research, infection studies and hearing research.”
“The analysis also reveals significant shortcomings in the transparency of animal experiments. Official statistics provide only figures broken down by federal state and by purpose of the experiments. Only through extensive research is it possible to trace where dogs and cats are suffering in German laboratories. At the same time, many questions remain unanswered.” 📰 Full Story →
FDA Issues Draft Guidance to Reduce Animal Testing for Cancer Drugs
Katherine Hamilton, Morningstar, 5/29/2026
“The Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance to reduce animal testing in tests for certain cancer drugs. . . . Under the guidance, the FDA would use a single relevant species instead of two or replace animal studies with evidence-based approaches . . . The guidance will provide recommendations for general toxicology studies including when animal testing may be unnecessary because there is no binding or pharmacologic activity. In some cases, the guidance recommends using rodent studies only or replacing three-month non-human primate studies with weight-of-evidence risk assessment.”
“The FDA said the guidance is part of its broader work to reduce the estimated 10 to 12 years it can take to bring new drugs from discovery to patients. It builds on data analysis of toxicology studies and practices to reduce the use of non-human primates.”
“The FDA is opening the guidance up to public comments until July 30, after which the agency will review and consider comments before finalizing the guidelines.” 📰 Full Story →
Republicans should take the easy win and stop medical testing on animals
Michelle Backus, Blaze Media, 5/29/2026
“The federal government has spent decades funneling taxpayer dollars into animal testing programs that are increasingly cruel, scientifically obsolete, and wholly unaccountable. Almost no one in Washington has had the courage to say so until now. . . . The issue finally started picking up steam last year when RFK Jr. said that reducing unnecessary animal testing would become a priority. While Kennedy has made the right noises, the lag still needs to be addressed.”
“The FDA announced last year that it would phase out animal testing requirements for monoclonal antibodies. The NIH shut down its last in-house beagle lab in May. In May 2025, the Navy announced it would no longer use dogs or cats in research. Those are serious wins, but the fight is far from over.”
“A 2024 Morning Consult poll commissioned by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine found that 80% of Americans agree the federal government should commit to a plan to phase out animal experiments. Roughly 85% agreed that government funding should prioritize non-animal research methods and that animal experimentation should be phased out in favor of modern alternatives. . . . Republicans, take an easy win and keep the animal lovers in your corner. Get it done.” 📰 Full Story →
Protesters rally outside Ridglan Farms, call for release of remaining beagles and closure of facility
Meredith Hackler, 58 News Milwaukee, 5/30/2026
“Around 100 people gathered outside Ridglan Farms Saturday, May 30, to protest the facility and draw attention to the issues they feel the facility still has. . . . Protesters want the remaining 650 beagles still in the facility’s possession to be released, and they hope this movement, which has caught the attention of the nation, will lead to laws that protect dogs from animal testing in the future.”
“Protests also took place in North Rose, NY, Worcester, MA, Cleveland, OH, Seattle, WA, and Nashville, TN.” 📰 Full Story →
The EU moves towards phasing out animal testing in chemical safety assessments
Iolanda Cuomo, EU News, 6/1/2026
“‘After decades of animal testing, we are taking concrete steps to end this.’ The announcement was made by the European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and the Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, after the European Commission adopted a roadmap today (1 June) for the phasing out of animal testing for chemical safety assessments. The plan sets out ‘clear, tangible steps to ensure the transition to innovative approaches to innovative non-animal approaches’ and aims to ensure ‘the integrity of safety evaluations, which ensure a high level of protection for human and animal health and the environment.’ This ‘will be a triple win for animals, the environment, and companies,’ Roswall stated.”
“The roadmap comprises twenty-two actions divided into three pillars and provides for the gradual phasing out of animal testing in fifteen sectors, including chemicals for industrial and consumer use, pesticides and biocides, pharmaceuticals, and food and feed additives. It also includes ‘indicators that will help monitor progress in the implementation of the actions and recommendations’ set out in the roadmap itself.”
“‘By phasing out animal testing, we are not only upholding higher ethical standards, but also strengthening our competitiveness through cutting-edge, non-animal alternative technologies’.” 📰 Full Story →
Trump EPA Takes New Action to Eliminate Animal Testing
United States Environmental Protection Agency, 6/2/2026
“Delivering on its commitment to end animal testing, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today took two major steps toward replacing outdated, slow, and inhumane animal studies with modern science that is faster, more humane, and more relevant to human health. For the first time in five years, EPA is updating its list of cutting-edge alternative test methods to replace the use of animal studies, also known as New Approach Methods (NAMs), for chemical assessments under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). EPA is also introducing a streamlined process for researchers, companies, and other stakeholders to nominate NAMs for consideration in pesticide and chemical assessments.”
“Taken together, these two actions mark major strides in meeting the Trump EPA’s goal of eliminating all mammalian animal testing by 2035 – an ambitious target set during the first Trump Administration that Administrator Lee Zeldin recommitted to meeting earlier this year.” 📰 Full Story →
Ridglan Farms beagles get second chance as rescue effort grows
Christina Van Zelst, FOX6 Milwaukee, 6/2/2026
“Animal advocates announced Tuesday that 135 more beagles will be released from Ridglan Farms later this week. At this time, it is not clear how many dogs remain at the facility. Advocates said they hope to have a better idea by the end of the week.”
“‘That means 1,635 dogs by the end of this week will have been removed from Ridglan Farms and put onto a pathway of very safe living and caring people around them,’….”
“During a virtual news conference, [Shannon Keith, Beagle Freedom Project founder] said a few hundred dogs were sold to an institution for testing in May. Several advocates are now pushing to change funding for dog breeding and research practice facilities.” 📰 Full Story →
Inotiv, Breeder of Laboratory Animals, Files for Bankruptcy
Steven Church, Bloomberg, 6/3/2026
“Inotiv Inc., which breeds dogs and imports monkeys that are used in drug experiments, filed for bankruptcy in part on what it blamed are tighter rules on its US canine farm and tariffs on non-human primates raised in China.”
“The company has faced increasing financial pressure because of international competition and a move in the US to reduce the use of animals in preclincal drug-safety studies, Chief Financial Officer Beth Taylor said in a court filing. ‘These financial challenges have been compounded by significant industry headwinds.’” 📰 Full Story →