WASHINGTON — Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Nick Langworthy, R-NY, are teaming up on legislation that would end federal spending on experiments involving cats and dogs.
On Wednesday, the lawmakers promoted the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing Act. They were joined by animal activists and two beagles, Tara and Rosie, who were rescued from Ridglan Farms, a commercial beagle breeding and research facility in Dane County that agreed to close in June.
Eileen Marutiak, with Against All Oddz Animal Alliance, said research methods that do not use animals are available.
“We have the ability to develop and to use research methods that don’t require animals like Tara and Rosie to spend their lives and deaths in laboratories,” Marutiak said.
Langworthy said federal tax dollars should not be used for testing on cats and dogs.
“To think that one cent of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars were being used towards a barbaric torture of these animals is one cent too many,” he said.
The lawmakers said testing on dogs is not necessary because of improved technology and human-based research methods.
“They’re not just better, they’re more humane, but they’re also more accurate for humans...