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.
Meet the USDA’s “New” Animal Care Chief: An Industry Pick
Rise for Animals, 7/31/2025
She’s back — and animals are in danger.
Bernadette Juarez has resumed her role as the USDA’s Animal Care chief. If history is any guide, we’re in for more secrecy, weaker enforcement, and more suffering. Learn what her return could mean, and why we’re sounding the alarm: 📰 Full Story →
FDA Still Putting Animal Research Ahead of Public Health
Rise for Animals, 7/29/2025
Despite the FDA’s claims of progress, its sunscreen stance reveals a deeper allegiance to animal testing — at the expense of science, safety, and ethics. 📰 Full Story →
☀️ Support the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act (H.R. 3686). This would mandate that the FDA consider non-animal tests like in vitro assays, organs-on-chip models, and computational tools in sunscreen evaluations. Send your letter now.
Some Experiments on Monkeys Suspended at UW
NARN Board, Northwest Animal Rights Network, 7/23/2025
“In a first, the UW Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)—the entity responsible for overseeing the health and well-being of all nonhuman animals experimented on at the university—has finally cracked down on a notorious researcher, Dr. Michele Basso, for flouting animal welfare standards and scientific integrity by suspending all four of her research protocols that used nonhuman animals.”
“After years of pressure from NARN volunteers, including countless hours of testimony during committee meetings, IACUC finally voted to suspend all of Basso’s experiments. The vote occurred after committee members expressed their concern about Basso continuing to be allowed to work with nonhuman animals in light of her previous non-compliances and flagrant disregard of animal welfare standards.” 📰 Full Story →
Canada Publishes Final Strategy on Animal Testing — But Gap Remains
Cruelty Free International, 7/25/2025
The release of “Canada’s final Strategy to Replace, Reduce or Refine Vertebrate Animal Testing under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act . . . reflects growing recognition of the need to move away from outdated animal-based testing in chemical safety assessments.”
“However, the final strategy falls short of making concrete commitments in these areas. It does not define NAMS in a way that excludes tests showing live vertebrate animals, nor does it prioritize the replacement of animal testing over reduction and refinement” and “the strategy stops short of committing to dedicated, public-facing progress reports or defined metrics for tracking implementation across its five key elements. It also includes no funding commitments to support the development of NAMs, and makes no mention of the recent closure of the Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM) – a vital national hub for advancing non-animal methods, which was forced to shut down in 2024 due to lack of federal support.” 📰 Full Story →
Te Protejo Reveals Interactive Map of Non-Animal Testing Labs Across Latin American
vegconomist, 7/25/2025
“Te Protejo, an organization focused on promoting cruelty-free science, has developed an interactive map that outlines the growing network of laboratories in Latin America utilizing alternative methods to animal testing. The map serves as a comprehensive resource, showcasing over 20 laboratories across the region that are advancing non-animal research methods, primarily in sectors such as biomedicine, cosmetics, and agroindustry.”
“The map is a result of extensive research conducted by Te Protejo, which included analyzing official documents and directly engaging with research centers. According to the findings, Brazil leads the region with the highest number of laboratories, including the National Network of Alternative Methods (RENAMA) and the Validation Center for Alternative Methods (BraCVAM).“ 📰 Full Story →
Rep. Nancy Mace Reintroduces Bill to Stop NIH’s Torturous Dog and Cat Experiments
Office of Congresswoman Nancy Mace, 7/28/2025
“As part of her fight to end government-funded animal cruelty, Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) has reintroduced the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste (PAAW) Act, a bill prohibiting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding research causing significant pain or distress to dogs and cats.”
“‘This isn’t just animal cruelty, it’s bureaucratic cruelty, paid for by the American taxpayer,’ said Congresswoman Mace. ‘If the NIH won’t do the right thing on its own, we will make them. These aren’t lab tools, they’re pets, they’re family, and we’re here to stop this taxpayer-funded abuse.’” 📰 Full Story →
Animal Rights Activists Protest at Police HQ Against Latest Campaign Repression
Real Media, 7/28/2025
“ . . . Cambridgeshire police have found a new way to . . . silence legitimate protest at [MBR Acres]. They have served Community Protection Notices (CPNs) on four people identified as connected to the camp. This appears to be a first use of CPNs to ban protest…. “
“ . . . the notices appear designed to protect a very unpopular private company. So last weekend, supporters of Camp Beagle took their protest to Cambridgeshire Police HQ in Huntingdon, calling for the Commissioner to rescind the orders and to cease their misuse against a protest legitimised by February’s court hearing. No senior police made themselves available to speak with the protesters. Solicitors have now instigated a formal appeal.” 📰 Full Story →
Casey Affleck lobbies Mass. lawmakers to ban primate research
Mike Deehan, AXIOS Boston, 7/28/2025
“Cantabrigian actor Casey Affleck wants Beacon Hill to crack down on what he and animal rights activists call cruel experiments on baby primates . . . Affleck wrote a letter to Massachusetts legislators urging them to prohibit separating infant primates from their mothers during the first year of life for research purposes.”
“Affleck said he finds experiments involving mother-infant separation ‘especially devastating.’ He praised Massachusetts leaders for working to make sure “’this horrific practice never happens again in the state.’” 📰 Full Story →
Living the Sweet Life After Labs
Rise for Animals, 7/30/2025
These pigs were once the property of a lab. But a decade ago, thanks to the compassionate efforts of New Life Animal Sanctuary, they were given a chance to live the rest of their lives as all deserve: With freedom. And love. And lots of snacks!
At Rise for Animals, we’re proud to support the work of New Life, where animals are given back their lives after labs: 📰 Full Story →
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