Following criticism from several lawmakers about the Pentagon’s authorization of distressing experiments on dogs, an organization focused on animal experimentation oversight stated that the Defense Department is merely the latest agency to face scrutiny. As a result, various departments have gradually been compelled to cease these practices.
A month after Fox News covered the issue, Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Donald Davis (D-N.C.) spearheaded a group of over two dozen House members demanding detailed information on how taxpayer funds were utilized by the Pentagon for this cause.
Meanwhile, a representative from the White Coat Waste Project (WCW), which aims to eliminate taxpayer-funded animal experimentation, expressed hopes that the newfound attention, along with a rider in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), will prompt the Pentagon to become the second known federal agency to end harmful testing on animals.
Justin Goodman, WCW’s vice president, remarked that in addition to the animal testing spotlighted in June, the Pentagon has also been accused of “electroshocking” cats as part of studies on erectile dysfunction.
PENTAGON’S ‘BARBARIC’ DRUG TESTING ON DOGS RAISES HACKLES WITH PET-LOVING LAWMAKERS
A beagle in snow (iStock)
The awareness raised by the public outcry has led to House lawmakers introducing an amendment in the 2025 NDAA to prohibit the Pentagon from continuing any biomedical testing on pets. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), a member of the Congressional Dog Caucus, is credited with formulating this amendment.
A letter addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calls for details on the schedule of dog testing, the total number of dogs involved, the USDA “pain category” related to the Pentagon’s animal tests, and a justification of the experiments in light of the fact that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not require dog testing for human pharmaceuticals.
“We are troubled by the DOD’s expenditure of taxpayer funds on inhumane experiments involving dogs for the sake of human drugs and feel it is not a responsible allocation of resources,” the letter asserts.
The letter also queries the present grants, contracts, and spending pertaining to testing, both currently and over the past five years. Goodman pointed out that the specific defense contract connected to the beagle experiments that surfaced in June concluded on July 31.
FAUCI UNDER FIRE FOR REPORT ALLEGING NIAID SPENT $400K FOR RESEARCH INFECTING DOGS WITH PARASITES
A plane flies over the Pentagon Jan. 11, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
“This new letter builds on our previous successful efforts in the NDAA to unite both parties in defunding the DOD’s use of cat and dog testing,” Goodman stated, adding that they have evidently revealed drug testing on puppies and harmful testing on cats, but the complete extent of this unnecessary expenditure remains unclear due to a significant lack of transparency.
“We have successfully terminated dog and cat testing at the VA in recent years, and now we aim to get the DOD to follow suit. Additionally, several other agencies like the NIH and the USDA continue to use taxpayer resources for pet experiments,” he noted.
Kim, the primary signatory of the letter, reported that the Pentagon allocated nearly $1 million specifically for beagle testing, condemning such practices as “inhumane and cruel.”
“The fact that this research took place despite the DOD’s policy forbidding the use of dogs and cats for training purposes in medical or surgical fields shows the necessity for ongoing scrutiny and accountability from the administration,” she emphasized.
Davis stressed that no public funds should be wasted on such testing and that Congress must act decisively to eliminate these practices.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), another signatory, referred to the practice as “horrendous,” stating, “It must cease immediately. As co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I take pride in collaborating across party lines to end the abuse of these innocent dogs and cats by the DOD and other agencies through cruel, costly, and entirely unnecessary tests.”
Her fellow Republican from New York, Michael Lawler, remarked that utilizing taxpayer funds for animal experimentation is “the last thing” the Pentagon should be engaged in.
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“Abusing pets is unacceptable, and we should all collaborate to eradicate it, including the Biden administration, which has shown a tendency to conduct tests on cats and dogs,” he asserted.
Two additional signers shared their concerns, with Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) calling these tests taxpayer-funded “torture of animals,” while Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) urged the Pentagon to pursue established, non-animal testing alternatives available.
In reaction, a Pentagon spokesperson stated that, in accordance with standard congressional communication protocol, the agency will “respond directly to the authors” of the letter.
“It wouldn’t be suitable for the department to provide comment on proposed legislation,” the spokesperson added.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Goodman also referenced a letter dated 2022 from Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), discussing the benefits of feline studies for stroke survivors and veterans who have undergone amputations.
McDonough informed Heinrich, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the VA, that he supported such research and included a legally-required report on the matter.
Goodman claimed that Congress has since mandated the VA to suspend any ongoing testing on cats, dogs, or primates by 2026, disputing any assertion that McDonough opposed such experiments.
A metal plaque on the facade of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington, D.C. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
In response, a VA spokesperson asserted that approval of a study does “not at all mean support for the continuation of the practice,” suggesting McDonough has led efforts to halt such experiments.
“Under Secretary McDonough’s guidance, we are no longer pursuing feline testing and are actively moving towards ending animal research involving sensitive species,” stated VA press secretary Terrence Hayes.
“Historically, we have only engaged in research utilizing sensitive species when completely necessary for the benefit of our military personnel. Over the past 19 years, the VA has proactively minimized studies involving these species, achieving a remarkable over 90% reduction,” Hayes added.
“The claim that Secretary McDonough was a staunch advocate for this research is untrue.”
When asked about the situation, Kim expressed concern over the potential for similar testing practices occurring in other federal agencies.
“Resorting to animal testing should never occur, particularly as we advance technological innovation,” Kim remarked.
