Approximately 65,000 dogs are used in animal testing each year in the United States. This secretive industry breeds dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals into existence only to suffer agonizing experimentation.
A drone view of Marshall BioResources, one of the largest breeders of
dogs for experimentation in the United States - from Rise For Animals
Trapped inside a laboratory, Echo’s future looked grim. For six years,
this lovable beagle suffered isolation, neglect and painful procedures. A
product tested on Echo’s eyes left her blind. Then, a miraculous twist of
fate changed Echo’s life forever.
Beagle Freedom Project, a nonprofit that rescues and rehomes animals
used in experimental research, saved Echo and found her a family. At her new
home, Echo stepped out into the sunlight and pawed the unfamiliar texture of
grass for the first time.
Echo is one of few survivors of the animal experimentation industry.
Approximately 65,000 dogs are used in animal testing each year in the United
States. This secretive industry breeds dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals
into existence only to suffer agonizing experimentation. The animals may
endure unnecessary surgeries, pesticide exposure or force feedings of
harmful chemicals. Most of the dogs spend their lives alone in steel cages,
only taken out for procedures or transportation.
The animal experimentation industry has recently attracted a deluge of
public criticism. A 2020 investigation by the animal advocacy nonprofit Rise
for Animals exposes a key industry facility named Marshall BioResources.
Located in New York State, Marshall BioResources is one of the largest
breeders of dogs for experimentation in the United States. From the street
view, the facilities are obscured by tall pines, but a bird’s-eye view
reveals expansive windowless warehouses indistinguishable from the factory
farms that house animals used for food and fur production.
Trapped inside of Marshall BioResources are roughly 23,000 dogs, as well as
cats, ferrets and other animals. Since 2007, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture has cited Marshall BioResources for more than 20 violations of
the federal Animal Welfare Act, including inadequate veterinary care and
poor living conditions, revealing a pattern of abuse and neglect. After
spending their early lives at Marshall BioResources, the dogs will be
shipped to laboratories across the country.
The dog testing industry spans the globe. While Marshall BioResources is a
primary source of dog breeding for experimentation, businesses generate the
demand. As of 2017, every U.S. state with available data was home to
facilities that experiment on dogs, ranging from four sites in South Dakota
to 7,890 in Massachusetts. Many animal lovers support the dog
experimentation industry without even realizing it.
Promising alternatives to animal experimentation are advancing rapidly. One
option is bioprinting, which can produce lab-grown tissue, including bones,
hearts and skin, using 3D printing technology. Paired with the conditions to
foster regenerative cell growth, bioprinted tissue can behave similarly to
human organs. Bioprinting and other innovative engineering solutions can
reduce or eliminate testing on live animals and lower the costs of the
resource-intensive animal experimentation process. This technology may also
circumvent the limitations often associated with testing products intended
for humans on nonhuman animals.
As of 2017, every U.S. state with available data was home to facilities that
experiment on dogs, ranging from four sites in South Dakota to 7,890 in
Massachusetts.
Consumers can accelerate the development and implementation of ethical
alternatives to animal experimentation by avoiding products tested on
animals. Thousands of businesses are already responding to consumer demand
with commitments to cruelty-free products, including Dove, Herbal Essences
and Aveda, while other companies are continuing to support animal suffering.
Petco carries live ferrets raised at Marshall BioResources and sells
products created by Marshall Pet Products, a company owned by Marshall
BioResources. Rise for Animals and Beagle Freedom Project are encouraging
consumers to call for Petco to end its partnership with Marshall
BioResources. When consumers choose companies and products free from the
cruelty of animal experimentation, they reduce the demand that sustains
businesses like Marshall BioResources.
Legislative action is also creating change for animals used for experiments.
In 2014, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to adopt the Beagle
Freedom Bill, requiring laboratories to offer healthy dogs and cats for
adoption after testing, instead of killing them. Ten other states have
enacted the Beagle Freedom Bill since then. In 2020, California became the
first state in the nation to put into effect a bill to ban the sale of
cosmetics tested on animals. All states should consider ethical legislative
actions to mitigate the extensive suffering caused by animal
experimentation.
When Echo the beagle was first rescued, she was too afraid to even step out
of her carrying kennel. During the weeks that followed, Echo’s caretakers
watched her incredible transformation. Echo had experienced the unthinkable,
but in a short time, she learned to trust, play and love. Every state in the
nation is home to the kind of cruelty that Echo suffered, and every state
has the opportunity to leverage consumer choice, technology and legislative
action to end animal experimentation. Animals like Echo are counting on us.
Return to Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and Dissection