$5.1 million in animal tests halted as calls grow from PETA and others to end military-funded research on animals across all branches
In a major policy shift this week, the U.S. Navy announced it will officially terminate all testing involving dogs and cats across its medical research programs. Under increasing pressure from both animal welfare advocates and oversight organizations, the Navy has officially ended its use of dogs and cats in laboratory testing, a move celebrated as a major victory for animal rights supporters.
Leading the charge was the White Coat Waste Project, a nonprofit watchdog group focused on taxpayer-funded experiments. The decision quickly drew praise from PETA, which has long criticized such research as outdated and inhumane. In a letter sent on Thursday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan, PETA welcomed the decision and thanked the Trump administration for its role in ending the long-running tests.
Secretary Phelan, in a video message posted to social media, called the move “long overdue” and added that the Navy Surgeon General would be tasked with a full review of all current medical research protocols to ensure they adhere to ethical standards, scientific validity, and the military’s values of readiness and integrity.
PETA demands full ban across all military branches
While applauding the Navy’s decision, PETA is now urging the Department of Defense to expand the ban to include all military-funded animal testing programs. The organization’s request includes ending decompression and oxygen toxicity tests still being conducted on other animals, including pigs and rodents, as well as the discontinuation of weapon-wounding tests that involve dogs, cats, primates, and marine mammals, practices that had previously been banned but resurfaced in recent years.
Documents shared by PETA detail disturbing procedures at various research centers, including surgeries on young pigs followed by extended stays in high-pressure environments. In one case, a pig experienced severe heat stress and involuntary muscle contractions after being given a test drug. Another report described a rat that died from a ventilation failure, an incident that, according to PETA, was not disclosed for nearly a month.
PETA reports that since 2020, over $5.1 million in federal funds have been allocated to such experiments at leading universities, including Duke University, the University of California San Diego, and the University of Maryland. The group is also calling for an immediate halt to DOD-backed animal research projects overseas, citing current grants in Canada and Australia where dogs and rats are used in gruesome testing involving muscle diseases and burn trauma.
A push for broader change gains steam
The Navy's move has breathed new life into the national conversation around military-funded animal testing. Just last year, PETA persuaded the U.S. Army to pull funding from a controversial $750,000 project that used ferrets to mimic symptoms of Havana Syndrome, a rare neurological condition. That decision was seen as a turning point, and now advocates are calling for more branches to follow suit.
The push from activists and lawmakers alike is highlighting growing discomfort with taxpayer-funded animal experimentation, especially when alternative, non-animal research models are available. PETA Vice President Shalin Gala stated, “Animals, regardless of species, feel pain, fear, and distress. These archaic tests have no place in a modern military grounded in ethical science.”
The Department of Defense has yet to respond to the latest calls for a comprehensive ban. Even so, there's growing bipartisan support for ending military animal testing as public demand for transparency in defense spending continues to rise.
Stay informed with Calle Ocho News
At Calle Ocho News, we shine a light on the stories shaping our communities—from defense policy changes and government accountability to local human interest stories and beyond. For over two decades, we’ve been a proud voice for South Florida’s Hispanic communities, dedicated to telling the stories that matter.
If you're a business, nonprofit, or storyteller looking to reach a loyal and diverse audience, consider partnering with Pressnet Corp, the publisher behind Calle Ocho News. With more than 200,000 monthly readers, we’re the platform where your message can make a lasting impression.
Visit www.CalleOchoNews.com or call 786.521.9130 to learn more about how you can get involved.
Add Comment