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.
Cops Call Monkeys “Lab Rats,” Tase and Shoot Them
Rise for Animals, 12/17/2025
Monkeys escaped a crashed transport truck. They were frightened. Confused. Trying to survive.
What happened next was captured on the body cams of Mississippi officers: Cops laughing, joking and opening fire. 📰 Watch & Read What Happened →
Batavia resident organizes shoe drive to help beagles rescued from laboratory testing
Staff Writer, The Batavian, 12/13/2025
“Sonya Miller-Alwardt is collecting shoes in Batavia to support beagles rescued from laboratory testing facilities.”
“The drive benefits Beagle Lovers and Rescuers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing beagles used in lab testing. The deadline is Jan. 20 with a goal of 5,000 pairs of shoes . . . The shoe drive works through Funds2Orgs, which pays Beagle Lovers and Rescuers by the pound for donated shoes. The shoes help entrepreneurs in developing nations start businesses.”
“‘We believe that together, we can make a significant impact, both for the animals in need and for our community spirit,’ Miller-Alwardt said. ‘Every pair of shoes collected is a step toward helping these deserving animals find a better life.’”📰 Full Story →
Guilty Verdict For Beagle Puppy Rescuers In Landmark Legal Case
London Post, 12/16/2025
“After a 12-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court, five defendants have been convicted of burglary after deliberation lasting approximately 3 hours. The trial came after they rescued 18 beagle puppies from MBR Acres, a site breeding animals for testing, in December 2022 . . . This is the first of four trials in this case, with 13 other individuals due to face charges of burglary, including six further charged with handling stolen goods, over the course of the coming months.”
“‘The reality is that 18 beagle puppies are alive and free today because we took action. No verdict can erase that fact. This case has shone a national spotlight on MBR Acres, and the cruelty of breeding dogs for experimentation, and the public response has been overwhelming.’”
“While the court focused on technical questions of law, people across the country are asking a far bigger question: why is this facility still being allowed to operate at all? . . . A petition calling on the Home Office to shut down MBR Acres and rehome all the beagles organised by Animal Rising has gathered nearly 39,000 signatures….” 📰 Full Story →
Over 22,000 animals suffered in reported breaches of UK laws protecting animals in laboratories in 2024
Cruelty Free International, PoliticsHome, 12/16/2025
“The 2024 [annual report by the Home Office’s Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU), which regulates the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986] detailed cases of non-compliance including: . . . animals being kept alive beyond humane endpoints . . . unweaned mice pups starv[ing] to death after their mother was removed and killed . . . [a] mouse swallow[ing] a gavage needle – a tube forcefully inserted down an animal’s throat to administer a substance to the stomach . . . [a] rabbit [being] found emaciated after inappetence went unnoticed . . . injuries due to [] tails getting trapped . . . [a] hamster and a mouse [being] found to have been put in the bin alive in separate cases….”
“Aside from the serious issue of non-compliance, the report also details that in 2024 there were 472 new animal testing project licences issued – a rise of 3% from 2023. The number of active project licences has also risen, from 1870 to 2,315 at the end of 2024.” 📰 Full Story →
U.S. Senate Passes FDA Modernization Act 3.0 by Unanimous Consent, Validating the Federal Government’s Transition from Animal Testing
Animal Wellness Action, 12/18/2025
“Senate Republicans and Democrats have united to pass the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, S.355, reaffirming strong bipartisan support for the government-wide shift toward modern, human-relevant technologies.”
“‘The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 builds on the critical reforms we achieved with FDA Modernization Act 2.0, ensuring that modern, humane, and scientifically advanced testing methods can finally replace outdated animal testing. For too long, bureaucratic inertia has delayed the implementation of these changes, which are vital to saving lives, reducing costs, and bringing life-saving treatments to patients more efficiently. This legislation sends a clear message: Americans deserve a regulatory system that embraces innovation, not one stuck in the past,’ said Dr. Rand Paul.”
“The House companion bill, H.R.2821, was introduced in April this year . . . The organizations urge the House to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.” 📰 Full Story →
PETA complaint alleges mistreatment of lab animals at UMass Chan
Henry Schwan, The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 12/16/2025
“An animal rights group is alleging mistreatment of animals used in medical research at UMass Chan Medical School . . . The allegations were included in Dec. 10 complaints to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health.”
“PETA’s complaints were based on information supplied by an unnamed whistleblower inside UMass Chan and noted many of the cases of ‘neglect and incompetence’ happened this year. PETA supplied photos and video to support its allegations including an emaciated dog with its ribs showing. Other photos showed masses of fluid buildup called seromas; and animals with areas of dead, blackened skin due to reperfusion injuries caused by a lack of blood flow after an incision.”
“Dogs weren’t the only animals that suffered the consequences of neglect, according to the complaints. A ferret was euthanized after it swallowed a section of a hammock in its cage. Staff recommended X-rays after noticing distress, but none were taken. After the animal’s persistent vomiting that included pieces of cotton, the ferret was ordered to be put down . . . In a separate case, PETA said, a rabbit was found dead in its cage after staff allegedly failed to address signs of the animal’s declining health following a sternotomy that involved opening the chest to reach the heart. An autopsy revealed fluid buildup, abnormal tissue and a congested liver, signs of inadequate postoperative care….” 📰 Full Story →
New Bill marks a major step toward ending animal testing
Cruelty Free International, 12/18/2025
“A new bill introduced by U.S. Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) aims to modernize safety and efficacy testing by prioritizing non-animal methods over outdated and painful animal tests. The Replace Animal Tests (Replace) Act, H.R. 6660 . . . would require entities regulated by federal agencies to use scientifically valid, humane alternatives whenever they are available.”
“While federal laws direct agencies such as the EPA, and FDA, to reduce and replace animal tests, there is currently no U.S. law requiring that available non-animal methods be used. By contrast, the UK and European Union have for decades required the use of scientifically satisfactory non-animal methods where available . . . The Replace Act would close this critical federal gap.” 📰 Full Story →
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