Here’s a roundup of the week’s 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.
Rise for Animals’ Data Sinks Industry’s Narrative in Science Magazine
Rise for Animals, 8/22/2025
AAALAC accreditation has been touted as the “gold standard” of animal welfare in research labs. But USDA data — analyzed by Rise for Animals and reported in Science — tells a damning story: accredited labs commit most of the most serious violations. Read our analysis and see why the industry is scrambling to defend itself: 📰 Full Story →
Facing ‘impossible’ workload, USDA struggles to oversee lab animal welfare
David Grimm, Science, 8/19/2025
Rise for Animals’ “analysis of more than 14,000 USDA inspection reports between 2014 and the middle of the year [] found that although AAALAC-accredited research facilities account for just 42% of all inspection facilities, they received 73% of the two most serious types of USDA citations in that time period, as well as 78% of all fines issued by APHIS from late 2019 to mid-2024.”
“AAALAC did not respond to multiple requests for comment.” 📰 Full Story →
Survivor Story: The Magic of Harriet
Rise for Animals, 8/21/2025
Harriet the Yucatan mini-pig survived a lab. Once safe at New Life Animal Sanctuary, she not only healed — she helped another pig, Lynn, do the same. Read her magical story: 📰 Full Story →
New Survey: College Students Feel Coerced Into Participating in Animal Experiments Despite Objections; 83% Oppose Such Exercises
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 8/18/2025
“Eighty-three percent of U.S. college students believe that animals should not be used in classroom teaching laboratories if the animals are killed afterward and if other methods can teach the same material without using animals, according to a new OpinionWorks survey. Among those majoring in the sciences, 90% believe animals should not be used.”
“‘The vast majority of college students don’t want to participate in deadly animal experiments in the classroom but feel subtly coerced because they are fearful of the consequences of not taking part,’ says Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. ‘Colleges with old-fashioned animal labs put students in an awful position that many interpret as a choice between killing or flunking.’” 📰 Full Story →
Head of lab that used dogs in tests no longer at St. Joseph’s
The London Free Press, 8/14/2025
“The head of a research lab that induced heart attacks in dogs as part of human heart research is no longer with St. Joseph’s Hospital where she oversaw the animal experimentation.”
“A week after an IJB investigation into the clandestine dog testing program at St. Joseph’s triggered widespread public and political outrage, the hospital, which shut down the animal testing Monday on orders from the premier of Ontario, announced Dr. Lisa Porter is gone.” 📰 Full Story →
Colorado State University Halts Animal Research Following Ethics Group Intervention
Scienmag, 8/18/2025
“In a significant development within the sphere of biomedical research ethics, Colorado State University (CSU) has terminated a contentious nutrition study that entailed the planned euthanasia of nearly 18,000 animals. This decision follows a formal appeal from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)….”
“In response to formal requests from PCRM for transparency, CSU confirmed via email on August 11, 2025, that the experiment had been officially halted on July 15, 2025 . . . This confirmation marks a milestone in institutional willingness to acknowledge and act upon ethical concerns raised by advocacy groups and the broader research community.” 📰 Full Story →
‘Not taking any chances’: Ontario research closes lab after premier warns to stop testing on dogs
Kendra Seguin, CBC, 8/19/2025
“Less than a week after Ontario Premier Doug Ford vowed to ‘start hunting down’ scientists who use cats and dogs in medical testing studies, one Ottawa-based researcher says he is shutting down his lab. ‘It was enormously scary,’ said Carleton University Canada research professor Andy Adler, who closed his project lab at the university on Friday.”
“‘I have now directed our team to start hunting down anyone else doing research on dogs or cats,’ Ford said. ‘If you’re doing this with dogs or cats, you gotta stop before I catch you…. We’re going to legislate this…. You aren’t gonna be going after animals like that.’” 📰 Full Story →
Wayne State University under fire over alleged euthanasia of research dogs without adoption option
Victor Williams, Click on Detroit – Local 4, 8/20/2025
“Some would say these dogs are literally being run to death by the university, but when one dog couldn’t run on the treadmill to complete the experiment, that’s when it was no longer seen as of any more use and euthanized. ‘We know that the reason they did it was because the dog was useless to them. They say very explicitly, on the last day of the dog’s life, wouldn’t run on the treadmill, meaning he wouldn’t participate in the experiments, these dead-end, deadly heart failure experiments they’ve been conducting for 35 years….’”
“In the end, the dog wasn’t even given a name. ‘Dog No. 3002 was absolutely adoptable, and an outside veterinarian agrees with us,’ Merkley said. Wayne State University would not comment on the allegations but sent Local 4 a letter explaining why its veterinarian suggested Dog No. 3002 had to be euthanized.” 📰 Full Story →
Victory! University of Washington Animal Oversight Committee to Reveal Members’ Full Names
Legal Reader, 8/19/2025
“In a fifth legal win for PETA and public accountability, members of the University of Washington (UW) animal oversight committee will no longer hide their identities by using only their initials. The Washington State Attorney General’s office informed PETA last night that committee members’ full names will now appear in public appointment letters, during meetings that are publicly streamed, and in meeting minutes. This will ensure that those who approve painful and often scientifically flawed experiments on animals can no longer remain anonymous.”
“This victory follows PETA’s win for transparency in April when the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ruled that PETA and Northwest Animal Rights Network have a right to receive public records revealing the names of UW’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members.” 📰 Full Story →
NIH plans heat up animal testing debate
Erin Schumaker & Ruth Reader, Politico, 8/19/2025
“Jay Bhattacharya elaborated on his strategic priorities for the National Institutes of Health on Friday — and drew criticism from some animal rights advocates. His strategy focuses on plans Bhattacharya and his boss, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have previously touted, like prioritizing nutrition research, advancing artificial intelligence, focusing on research reproducibility and shifting to solutions-based health disparities research . . . But one priority area — moving away from animal testing in favor of alternative models and establishing an office to develop, validate and deploy those methods — was a sore point for animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.”
“From PETA’s vantage point, Bhattacharya’s plan didn’t go far enough. ‘Dramatic change is essential, as we’ve seen how “enhancing oversight” is a laugh-into-your-sleeve exercise, and “considering non-animal methods” is a check box,’….” 📰 Full Story →
FRAUD AND MANIPULATION–1st Cir.: CEO’s reaction to macaque conspiracy was actionably misleading
Wolters Kluwer | Vital Law, 8/18/2025
“A drug company made actionable misstatements implying that the DOJ’s indictment of a supplier of monkey test subjects would not affect its business . . . The First Circuit accordingly reversed and remanded to the District of Massachusetts to consider loss causation based on the actionable statements.”
“It was true that Charles River did not have a duty to disclose its exposure to the conspiracy. However, once it chose to speak, it was required to tell the whole truth. Having voluntarily addressed the impact of the indictment, the CEO could not omit key information about the company’s supply chain that would have recast the risks of the investigation in a different light.” 📰 Full Story →
Dane County Takes Action for Dogs. Let’s Stand with Them.
Rise for Animals, 8/19/2025
The Dane County Board of Supervisors has done something commendable for the dogs trapped inside Ridglan Farms, industrial breeder of dogs used in research and testing. By introducing Resolution 119, the Board is urging Wisconsin regulators to revoke Ridglan’s breeding license and remove the dogs from its custody. 📰 Full Story →
✍️ The Board needs to know we stand behind them, for the protection of the dogs imprisoned at Ridglan Farms. Add your name to our community letter of support now. Submit your name here.
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