Bill > HB666

This bill, the Animal Research Modernization and Best Practices Act of 2026, prohibits research and testing facilities from using dogs and cats that have undergone devocalization surgery or performing such surgeries on them, and mandates that any euthanasia of dogs or cats at these facilities must follow current American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines. It also restricts testing facilities from using traditional animal test methods, which involve live vertebrate animals to assess the characteristics of substances or products, when an approved alternative test method (a method not using live animals that produces equivalent or better scientific results) or a waiver is available, with specific exceptions for federal or state requirements and ongoing tests initiated before October 1, 2026. Furthermore, the bill extends existing adoption requirements for dogs and cats used in scientific research to testing facilities, requiring them to establish processes for adopting out animals no longer needed for research and to report annually on animal usage, alternative and traditional test methods, and adoption efforts to the Secretary, with these reports being anonymized and not subject to public disclosure.