05/08/2025 | Press release | Archived content
(Washington, D.C., May 8, 2025)- Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) is taking action to save retired research animals in federal labs by reintroducing Violet's Law. Named after a hound rescued from a taxpayer-funded lab, Violet's Law ensures animals are retired and rehomed when they are no longer needed for research in federal labs.
This law will call on all federal agencies to stop euthanizing retired research animals and instead prioritize their adoption or relocation to private homes, animal rescues, or reputable sanctuaries.
Rep. Mace's renewed push for Violet's Law comes just days after the Trump administration's decision to shut down the last in-house beagle laboratory at the National Institutes of Health. President Trump's leadership is setting a new standard for how the federal government treats animals in taxpayer-funded labs.
"It's unacceptable for federal labs to kill healthy animals who could be adopted and given a second chance at life," said Rep. Nancy Mace. "Violet's Law is a commonsense solution to ensure these animals are rehomed when they're no longer needed for tax payer funded research."
"As the nation's largest and most successful sanctuary for research animals-having successfully placed thousands of cats, dogs, and other animals into loving homes-we applaud Rep. Mace for introducing Violet's Law to make lab animal retirement a standard policy in all government labs," said John Ramer, Executive Director, Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary. "We are proof that it can be done and eagerly stand ready to assist in the process."
"Given the Trump Administration's commitment to cutting wasteful spending on animal testing, Rep. Mace's "Violet's Law"-named in memory of an ex-lab hound rescued by White Coat Waste-is more important than ever," said Anthony Bellotti, President and Founder, White Coat Waste. "Violet's Law helps ensure that government lab survivors are retired and released to loving homes, not senselessly killed, when White Coat Waste and Rep. Mace expose and close labs. Under Trump 45, White Coat Waste secured the rescue of dozens of cats, dogs, and primates from federal labs we shut down and got federal agencies including the NIH, FDA, VA and DOD to enact the first-ever lab animal retirement policies. But the Biden EPA and other agencies have refused to retire animal testing survivors-even though taxpayers are forced to pay the bill. Taxpayers bought these animals and Violet's Law will ensure Uncle Sam gives them back."
Recognized Leadership: Named a top animal advocate in Congress by Animal Wellness Action for her hard work in fighting for animal rights.
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