Trump ENDS Navy Dog Tests – PETA REACTS

The Trump administration has ended Navy testing on cats and dogs, drawing praise from PETA while the animal rights organization pushes for more comprehensive bans across all military branches.

At a Glance

  • Navy Secretary John Phelan has terminated all Department of the Navy testing on cats and dogs
  • PETA thanked the Trump administration while urging broader military reforms on animal testing
  • The Navy has spent over $5.1 million since 2020 on decompression sickness and oxygen toxicity tests using animals
  • Critics note the federal government spends approximately $20 billion annually on research using cats and dogs
  • PETA recommends alternatives like human-patient simulators and computational models instead of animal testing

Trump Administration Halts Navy Animal Testing

In a move applauded by animal rights advocates, the Trump administration has ended all Navy-funded experiments on dogs and cats. Navy Secretary John Phelan announced the decision, describing the termination of these practices as “long overdue.” The decision follows mounting pressure from lawmakers and animal rights organizations who have long criticized these experiments as cruel and unnecessary. The Navy will now conduct a comprehensive review of all its medical research programs to ensure they meet ethical standards and scientific necessity.

The termination of these experiments represents a significant policy shift and potential taxpayer savings. Phelan made the announcement on social media, stating clearly the administration’s position on the matter. The White Coat Waste Project, a nonprofit watchdog that tracks animal testing by federal agencies, has reported that the federal government spends approximately $20 billion annually on research involving cats and dogs.

PETA Pushes for Comprehensive Military Ban

While expressing gratitude for the Navy’s decision, PETA has called on the Pentagon to implement a more comprehensive audit to eliminate what they describe as waste, fraud, and abuse in animal experimentation across all defense branches. The organization specifically urged bans on decompression and oxygen toxicity tests on animals, weapon-wounding experiments, and defense funding for animal tests at foreign institutions. Records obtained by PETA revealed the Navy spent over $5.1 million on decompression sickness and oxygen toxicity tests using animals since 2020.

PETA Vice President Shalin Gala emphasized that while the Navy’s decision is welcome, more action is needed. The organization’s investigations have uncovered disturbing experiments, including tests on baby pigs at the Naval Medical Research Command. Adding to concerns are reports that weapon-wounding tests on animals, previously banned during the Reagan administration, were reintroduced in 2020. PETA has proposed alternative research methods that do not involve animals, such as human-patient simulators and computational models.

Broader Trump Administration Animal Testing Reforms

The Navy’s decision is part of a broader pattern of animal welfare policies implemented under the Trump administration. The Environmental Protection Agency has rolled back animal testing requirements, and the National Institutes of Health recently closed its last laboratory using beagles for experiments. These changes have garnered support from various animal advocacy groups who have long campaigned against taxpayer-funded animal experimentation.

The White Coat Waste Project’s president Anthony Bellotti has been vocal about these issues, particularly highlighting concerns about government spending. “This is a taxpayer-funded problem,” Bellotti stated. The organization recently celebrated the cancellation of a $10 million Defense Department study that involved electroshocks on cats. Other influential figures have joined the conversation, including activist Laura Loomer, who discussed the issue on her podcast “Loomer Unleashed,” and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who has publicly objected to such testing.

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