REP. MACE INTRODUCES VIOLET’S LAW TO RETIRE ANIMALS FROM GOVERNMENT LABS
Bill to allow animals to be retired & re-homed when they are no longer needed for research
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) re-introduced the bipartisan Violet’s Law (also known as the AFTER Act). The bill—named after a hound adopted from a taxpayer-funded laboratory—would allow dogs, cats, primates, rabbits, and other animals to be retired and re-homed when they are no longer needed for research in federal labs.
Tens of thousands of regulated animals are used annually in federal labs for projects ranging from observational studies to invasive disease experiments. In most cases, even healthy animals are euthanized when they are longer needed by researchers.
In recent years, however, following efforts led by Rep. Mace and others, the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Defense have enacted lab animal retirement policies. As a result, the agencies have adopted out dogs, cats, and other animals and relocated primates to sanctuaries.
Yet, the USDA, CDC, and other agencies that conduct animal experiments do not have such policies.
Violet’s Law will ensure that all federal agencies have policies in place to allow and facilitate the relocation of healthy lab animals to private homes, animal rescues, or reputable sanctuaries whenever possible.
Last Congress, the bill had 116 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. A Senate companion had 19 cosponsors and was recently re-introduced by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI).
"It's cruel and unnecessary to euthanize dogs, cats, and other animals in federal research labs which are healthy enough to be adopted out and live happy lives," said Rep. Mace. "We are leading this commonsense, bipartisan effort to ensure that federal agencies can retire and re-home animals no longer needed in taxpayer-funded research whenever possible."
"We applaud Rep. Mace for introducing Violet’s Law and her outstanding efforts to end wasteful government animal tests and give animals an opportunity to find homes with taxpayers when experiments end,"said Desiree Bender, campaign manager at White Coat Waste Project. "The dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys and other animals confined in government laboratories belong to taxpayers, and we want these animals back."
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ABOUT
Congresswoman Nancy Mace represents SC-01. She grew up in the Lowcountry. Before being sworn into Congress, Nancy earned accolades as one of the most fiscally conservative members of the South Carolina General Assembly; she’s also one of the most pro-conservation lawmakers in South Carolina. Nancy is the recipient of the 2019 Taxpayer Hero Award from the South Carolina Club for Growth; she has a 100% record of voting to lower taxes. Nancy also has a 100 percent rating with Conservation Voters of South Carolina.
