On the heels of the Envigo beagle rescue, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an Act Protecting Research Animals (House Bill 901) — also known as the “Beagle Bill” — into law. This law requires that dogs and cats be adopted into homes after they are no longer needed for research purposes. There are other states across the country that have similar laws, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, and New York.

The “Beagle Bill” replaces the practice of euthanizing dogs or cats that “retire” from research testing. Instead, the law requires that once an institution makes the determination that a dog or cat is no longer needed for research, is healthy, and doesn’t pose a risk to the health or safety of the public, the research facility must then reach out to an animal shelter or rescue organization to ascertain whether it can assist with placement in an adoptive home, or opt for private placement.

The MSPCA-Angell applauds this new law, as it provides an opportunity for dogs and cats to live a life in a home as an adopted pet once their time in the research laboratory ends — an opportunity that each of these dogs and cats deserves.