Arizona Animal-Testing Bill

A bill reducing anti-cruelty restrictions on animal testing in scientific facilities is making its way through the Arizona State Senate after narrowly passing a Senate committee on Monday, February 1. Currently, Arizona law “prohibits the neglect, abandonment, cruel mistreatment, or unnecessary physical injury of an animal with intent or knowledge on the part of the person committing the act.” If passed, the bill will exclude federally regulated research facilities from state regulations, leaving scientific animal testing with very few state-mandated restrictions. The Federal Animal Welfare Act, established in 1966, sets minimum acceptable standards for the treatment of animals in research on a national level, but state regulations are generally much stricter.