Washington State Senate Bill 5212, known and cited as the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act," was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee on April 29, 2019, and becomes effective July 28, 2019. The law requires higher education facilities and other research facilities that collaborate with higher education institutions to make reasonable efforts to rehome retired laboratory research dogs and cats once their service is complete.

NAIA supports laboratory animal rehoming legislation, like Senate Bill No. 5212, that do not undermine current established and highly successful practices. Research institutions have carefully developed customized adoption policies and procedures for the retirement of dogs, cats and other research animals. "These policies address the health and temperament of each animal, the training required for both the animal and new owner to ensure a smooth transition to residential living, and several other factors," said Dr. Cindy Buckmaster, NAIA board member and Chair of Americans for Medical Progress.

Senate Bill 5212 will ensure that the best interests of these animals are always considered first. 

"Most, if not all, of the treatment I received was tested on animals," said one supporter of the bill, Dan Paul, who received successful chemotherapy at the University of Washington (UW) for leukemia. "I can never fully repay that."

NAIA is very pleased that Washington State lawmakers avoided the legislative empowerment of organizations that are hiding their true anti-research intentions, but instead developed a framework to allow NAIA and other reputable groups to work hand-in-hand with research facilities to find ways to best ensure that dogs and cats find loving, forever homes when they are no longer taking part in the medical innovation process that benefits humans and animals alike.

Washington State Senator Guy Palumbo, a sponsor of SB 5212, bringing a friend to work...

For more information on NAIA's laboratory animal rehoming program, visit us at animalheroes.naiaonline.org.