Federal Funds Cut for Colleges That Conduct Painful Research on Dogs and Cats: New Rules Take Effect in 180 Days

The HELP PETS Act is pretty straightforward: It stops federal money from going to colleges and universities that conduct or support painful research on dogs and cats. This kicks in 180 days after the law is enacted, so roughly six months from now.

Cutting Off the Cash

This bill directly targets how universities use federal funds. If a college or university conducts research that the Department of Agriculture classifies as pain category D or E on dogs or cats, they won't be getting federal dollars. For example, if a university lab is testing a new drug on dogs and that testing is classified as causing significant pain or distress, that lab—and potentially the entire university—could lose federal funding. (SEC. 2)

What's Still Allowed?

Not all research on dogs and cats is banned. The bill makes exceptions for:

• Clinical veterinary research: This means research on a dog or cat that already has a disease or injury, and the research is directly intended to help that animal. Think of a vet school testing a new treatment for a dog with naturally occurring cancer, where the goal is to improve the dog's health. (SEC. 2)
• Service and military animals: Routine check-ups, training, and studies involving service animals (like guide dogs) or military animals (like those used for bomb detection) are still permitted. (SEC. 2)

Real World Impact

Imagine a university lab that conducts painful experiments on beagles to test the effects of a new cosmetic ingredient. Under this law, that kind of research would no longer be eligible for federal funding. However, a veterinary school researching a new surgical technique to treat hip dysplasia in golden retrievers, where the dogs already have the condition and the research aims to improve their quality of life, would still be allowed.

The Fine Print

• "Institution of higher education" is defined using the standard definition from the Higher Education Act of 1965 (section 102), so it covers most colleges and universities. (SEC. 2)
• "Painful research" is specifically tied to the Department of Agriculture's pain categories D and E. This provides a clear, existing standard for what's considered unacceptable. (SEC. 2)
• "Military animal" is defined as in section 2583(i)(1) of title 10, United States Code. (SEC. 2)
• "Service animal" is defined as in section 37.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. (SEC. 2)

Potential Challenges

While the bill's goal is clear, there could be some practical hurdles. Universities might try to reclassify their research to fit within the allowed exceptions. For example, they might argue that research primarily benefiting a pharmaceutical company is also somehow "clinical veterinary research" because it could eventually help animals. It will be important to see how tightly these definitions are enforced. Also, it is worth noting that institutions may seek alternative funding sources to continue any prohibited research.