Sen. Martha McSally co-sponsors bill to save lives of research animals

PHOENIX – U.S. Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona co-sponsored a bipartisan bill introduced Wednesday that aims to save the lives of animals in federal research labs.

The Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments and Research (AFTER) Act of 2019 would direct agencies to create policies allowing for the adoption or retirement of animals after they are no longer needed for research.

“Every animal deserves the chance to be adopted into a loving, caring home,” McSally, a Republican, said in a press release.

“It’s past time that we give research animals an opportunity to find a new home after they’ve been used in federal research labs.”

Because no policy exists for finding housing for animals after they are used for federal research, many are killed, the release said.

Federal labs used more than 50,000 animals — mainly dogs, cats, monkeys and rabbits — last year, according to the release.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced the bill, which was also cosponsored by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

“There is no reason animals that are suitable for adoption or retirement should be killed by our federal agencies,” Collins said in the release.

Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., and Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., introduced a companion bill in the House.

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