MADISON (WKOW) — U.S. Reps. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), and Mark Pocan (D-WI), introduced legislation Tuesday to ban federal funding for biomedical research on dogs and cats.
The Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing Act would prohibit the use of federal public health research funds for biomedical research involving live dogs and cats. The bill was announced at a press conference with animal welfare organizations and rescue beagles released from Ridglan Farms in Blue Mounds, which sold its remaining dogs earlier this year. Up until this year, Ridglan Farms had been one of the largest beagle research facilities in the U.S.
"The horrific abuse and barbaric treatment of beagles uncovered inside research facilities like Ridglan Farms and Marshall Bioresources has outraged Americans from every corner of the country and political spectrum," Langworthy said in a statement. "Dogs and cats are companion animals and part of the family for millions of Americans; they should never have to endure inhumane suffering, particularly at expense to taxpayers and when science has evolved to develop more effective research methods."
Pocan said what happened at Ridglan Farms was a wake-up call f...