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.
CCTV in Labs? Checkmate for Vivisectors
Rise for Animals, 6/11/2025
What if every lab, every caged animal, and their every scream behind closed doors could finally be seen and heard?
South Korea’s new CCTV law for pet shops shines a light on why U.S. animal labs fight to stay hidden — and why transparency is vital to animal justice. 📰 Full Story →
Tell Congress: Demand Transparency from Government-Funded Labs
Rise for Animals, 6/10/2025
The Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025 (H.R. 3295) would finally force the NIH to collect the number of animals bred, used, and killed by NIH-funded labs — and to make that data public. 📰 Full Story →
⚠️ Take action! Urge your U.S. members of Congress to support the Federal Animal Research Accountability Act — send your letter now.
Despite protests, NIH renews $13.7 million for OHSU primate center
Kristine de Leon, The Oregonian/OregonLive, 6/6/2025
“Despite pressure from animal rights groups to shut it down . . . [t]he National Institutes of Health renewed its funding for OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center, awarding $13.7 million for 2026. The Hillsboro facility has received continuous NIH support since 1960, according to OHSU.”
“The activists have long called for the closure of the facility, where roughly 5,000 nonhuman primates are housed for research. They’ve claimed that public money would be better spent on direct patient care at OHSU and have questioned the scientific value of primate research.” 📰 Full Story →
‘Strange Bedfellows’ on Animal Rights
Bill Lueders, The Progressive Magazine, 6/6/2025
“‘[We] built a “strange bedfellows” coalition for cats and dogs abused by the Navy,’ [White Coat Waste] declared in a blog post. ‘We united these MAGA leaders, Rand Paul libertarians, and liberal icons such as Ben Cohen, the legendary Ben & Jerry’s co-founder.’”
“Indeed, Cohen teamed up with Goodman [of White Coat Waste] to pen a February opinion piece for Newsweek identifying some government-funded research projects involving animals that might legitimately count as waste, fraud, and abuse . . . The Newsweek piece argued that these and other studies involving animals were legitimate targets for Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency. And in fact, DOGE guru Elon did play a critical role in recent efforts to put the kibosh on government-funded research involving animals that groups like the White Coat Waste Project and PETA have long decried as cruel and unnecessary.”
“Another key player in the decision was influencer Laura Loomer, one of the far right’s shrillest voices.” 📰 Full Story →
Governor Rejects Nevada Cruelty-Free Cleaning Bill
Cruelty Free International, 6/6/2025
“We are disappointed that the Nevada state governor has vetoed bill SB167, which would have made Nevada the first U.S. state to prohibit outdated and unnecessary tests on animals in the manufacture of household cleaning products. The bill had previously passed the Nevada State Assembly, by 34 votes to 8, and the State Senate by 17 votes to 4, but was this week rejected by Governor Joe Lombardo, even though he recognised the bill’s ‘commendable goal of promoting more humane treatment of animals’.”
“The bill would have required manufacturers of household cleaning products sold in the state to use available non-animal testing methods that are approved and accepted by state and federal regulatory agencies for safety assessment.”
“Whether you’re in Nevada or anywhere else in the world, to find cruelty-free household products and cosmetics, visit the Leaping Bunny search page….” 📰 Full Story →
Tears as Dogs Rescued from Animal Testing Center Touch Grass for First Time
Rachel O’Connor, Newsweek, 6/8/2025
“A major operation to rescue dogs from an overseas animal testing center came to an end with dozens of rescued beagles experiencing freedom for the first time . . . with a video of their first taste of freedom going viral online.”
“One by one, the doors [to transport carriers] were opened, and the dogs–who had ‘never walked on grass’–were given the freedom to explore. Some were cautious, unsure of what to make of the great outdoors, while others sprinted onto the grass and began running, exploring and sniffing, their tails wagging furiously.” 📰 Full Story →
LTE: Animal experimentation is unethical and behind the times
Richard J. Miller, The Daily Northwestern, 6/8/2025
“On June 2, The Daily published an article describing how Northwestern researchers are responding to current moves by the government to reduce animal-based research in favor of human-based studies . . . I was disheartened to note that one of the major arguments for reducing animal research was hardly even mentioned in the article: the fact that it is unethical. Biomedical research that utilizes animals is almost inevitably extremely cruel and, if looked at from a different perspective, might easily be categorized as institutionalized animal abuse. This is a compelling reason not to perform these kinds of experiments.”
“Furthermore, even if we ignore such considerations, the idea that animal-based research is essential for scientific progress is hard to support in light of current technological advances that utilize humans rather than animals . . . Unfortunately, many researchers both here at NU and at other institutions are still trying to push outdated arguments that only reveal a lack of critical thought.” 📰 Full Story →
PETA lodges complaint against animal testing lab in Telangana
Statesman News Service, The Statesman, 6/10/2025
PETA India “has urged the Centre [at Palamur Biosciences Private Limited] to shut down all animal testing projects at a Telangana-based preclinical contract research organization, alleging widespread animal cruelty, including rough handling, poisoning and killing of beagles, minipigs and rhesus macaques . . . The rights group showed extensive footage as evidence gathered with the help of a whistleblower.”
“Testing included chemicals injected under the skin, reportedly causing abscesses and severe infections, and bloody wounds which were left untreated. Staff also allegedly kick dogs and handle them roughly, according to a whistleblower.”
“Palamur Biosciences Private Limited has an [NIH] Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare certification and claimed on social media that the accreditation reflected their unwavering commitment to ‘excellence in ethical treatment of Lab Animals in preclinical research.’” 📰 Full Story →
UNE professor suspended for violating live animal research protocols
Riley Board, Portland Press Herald, 6/12/2025
“A shark and fish researcher at the University of New England has been suspended from research and teaching for ‘serious and continuous non-compliance’ with protocols related to the study of live vertebrate animals . . . including research on vertebrate animals without approval, failure to adhere to school protocols, activity beyond the approved end-date of the project and participation by people that were not appropriately qualified or trained.”
“The investigation also concluded a need for institutional changes around research at UNE, including adding gatekeeping mechanisms like documentation for boat trips and teaching activities that involve live vertebrates, not allowing students to serve as the primary investigator on research projects and requiring new training for everyone in the department.” 📰 Full Story →
Horses have a complex repertoire of facial expressions, just like primates
Kate Lewis, The Conversation, 6/9/2025
“Horses are a social species with wild and feral populations living in complex societies. They form relatively stable herds or ‘bands’, typically made up of a stallion protecting his group of mares. The ranges of these bands overlap, and the need to share space and resources means that effective communication is essential for horses. Just like humans and non-human primates, horses have a large number of facial muscles. These allow them to produce a range of facial movements.”
“We [] identified similarities between the facial expressions horses make during play and the play faces used by primates and carnivores.” 📰 Full Story →
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