Animal welfare advocates encouraged by agency’s further embrace of non-animal methods to replace rabbits, rats and mice in chemical and pesticide testing and call for more interagency action

WASHINGTON (June 2, 2026)—Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statement about the Environmental Protection Agency expanding its list of cutting-edge alternatives to animal studies. The EPA also announced a streamlined process for companies to submit additional novel approaches that do not use animals for agency-approved use in their chemical and pesticide assessments. This news follows a January 2026 EPA announcement concerning the agency’s renewed commitment to eliminate mammal tests by 2035 and prioritize non-animal alternatives for chemical and pesticide safety assessments.

Humane World Action Fund President Sara Amundson, said: 

“Today's announcement is one more signal that the federal government agrees that the future of safety testing for chemicals and pesticides should not depend on antiquated tests using rabbits, rats and other animals. Science is rapidly advancing, and government agencies must keep pace with stronger coordination. We urge the Trump administration and Congress to establish an interagency task force to accelerate the transition to non-animal methods, share resources and best practices across agencies and provide clear direction to regulated industries. Together, EPA, FDA and NIH can help end outdated animal testing and usher in a new era of better science and greater compassion.”

Humane World for Animals President and CEO Kitty Block, said: 

“EPA's decision to expand and modernize its list of non-animal testing methods is an important step toward a future where scientific progress no longer depends on animal suffering. By moving toward testing methods that are faster, more accurate, and better aligned with human biology, EPA is helping write a new chapter in the history of chemical and pesticide safety testing and evaluation.. We welcome this progress and encourage the agency to eliminate duplicative animal tests and continue accelerating the transition away from animal testing with scientifically sound alternatives.”

Since last year, the federal government has made a number of announcements of its intent to move away from animal testing, including the EPA’s decision to recommit to its earlier proposal for ending mammal testing by 2035. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has been providing guidance to industry about use of non-animal approaches for pharmaceuticals and streamlining testing on non-human primates for monoclonal antibody therapies. Finally, the National Institutes of Health has announced its plans to reduce reliance on animals in biomedical research, including by increasing investment in critical infrastructure.

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Media Contact: 
•    Liz Bartolomeo: 240-472-0475; ebartolomeo@humaneworld.org
•    Emily Snow Gugel: 202-779-1814; eehrhorn@humaneworld.org