Colorado has passed a groundbreaking law that brings hope to animals long hidden from public view—dogs and cats used in health-related research. The new legislation, known as Senate Bill 25-085 (Health-Related Research Test Subjects), was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis alongside Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and a bipartisan group of legislators.
This law doesn’t end animal testing, but it does something deeply meaningful: it gives animals used in research the right to a second chance. Instead of being euthanized after testing, surviving dogs and cats must now be offered for adoption.
What the Law Requires
Under the new rules, any research facility in Colorado that uses dogs or cats for medical or scientific purposes must attempt to rehome the animals before considering euthanasia. If a facility has its own adoption program, it must try to place the animals internally first. If that fails, the animals must be offered to animal shelters or rescue organizations.
The bill was sponsored by Senators Cathy Kipp and John Carson and Representatives Manny Rutinel and Amy Paschal. Its goal is clear: make sure animals who survive testing are given a chance to live as pets, not die as discarded tools of science.
Why This Matters
For decades, countless animals—especially beagles, who are gentle and trusting by nature—have been used in research due to their docile personalities. These same traits have made them vulnerable to a system that often treats them as disposable. According to the Humane World for Animals, in 2022 approximately 4,000 beagles were rescued from a breeding facility that supplies laboratories, showing the scale of which dogs are used in testing.
The suffering they endure is often hidden: confined to sterile cages, subjected to painful procedures, and denied the warmth of a home. After the testing procedures the animals were often euthanized in order for their bones and tissue to be tested. This law doesn’t erase their past, but it offers something they’ve never had—hope for a better future.
A Path to Healing and Home
With this new legislation, Colorado is challenging the idea that lab animals are only useful while they’re being tested. It acknowledges that they are sentient beings capable of living full, happy lives beyond the lab.
Rescue groups across the state are already preparing to help, knowing that many of these animals may need extra support—some have never walked on grass, heard a kind voice, or played with a toy. But with time and patience, they can recover and thrive in loving homes.
A Model for Other States
While Colorado isn’t the first state to pass such a law, it’s part of a growing movement toward more humane treatment of animals in research. Animal advocates hope other states will follow suit and adopt similar measures.
“The beagle that’s sitting in a steel cage for a vaccine test is the same dog that you have in your household and that you love unconditionally, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them a chance after they have involuntarily given their life in the pursuit of science,” said Meredith Blanchard of the National Anti-Vivisection Society.
Because every dog and cat deserves more than a number in a cage. They deserve a name, a home, and a life filled with love.
