STATEMENT: Congress takes a step forward and step backward on animal testing policies at NIH
Latest congressional appropriations package funds the government for the 2026 fiscal year
WASHINGTON (Feb. 3, 2026)—Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statement on Congress passing a FY2026 funding package for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the National Institutes of Health, among other federal agencies.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
There’s some good news for animals in the funding packages for the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Department of Justice that passed the Senate last week and were just signed into law.
These wins are the result of animal advocates—both us and our allies—who never wavered in the view that the protection of animals matters, and that it’s something that the American people want. Here are the animal welfare wins in the FY2026 funding packages:
Gray wolves and grizzly bears saved
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Today, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency recommitted to a previously stated goal to end testing on dogs, rats, mice, rabbits and other mammals by 2035. This move has the potential to replace tests on tens of thousands of animals with non-animal methods that are better for both humans and animals.
Victory! EPA renews plans to eliminate animal testing by 2035
Dogs, rabbits, rats and mice may no longer suffer harm in testing for chemicals and pesticides
STATEMENT: Wild horses, endangered wildlife protections maintained as Congress delivers funding win for animals
Latest congressional appropriations package demonstrates continued bipartisan support for animal welfare policies
WASHINGTON (January 15, 2026)—Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund, issued the following statement on Congress passing a FY2026 funding package for the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Justice among other federal agencies.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
As we enter 2026, the speed at which global events unfold can feel overwhelming and the future can feel uncertain. It is also true, though, that good things are happening: Every day, all over the world, people are giving their voices to the voiceless, taking a stand for animals who cannot advocate for themselves. In that sense, every single day marks progress toward the more humane world we are trying to achieve in every country where our teams are active.
By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block
Montessa, a chimpanzee, spent 50 years in a barren laboratory, and for 30 of them, she endured harmful testing procedures. This year, however, her fortune changed. She, along with other chimpanzees from a federally owned facility in New Mexico, finally arrived at Chimp Haven in Louisiana—thanks in large part to our persistent advocacy for their sanctuary retirement.
