Michigan Football Fans Call for End to Painful Dog Experiments in State Labs
In a surprise move, Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright and his fiancée Carley Johnston have joined the growing chorus of advocates urging Michigan lawmakers to approve legislation banning painful experiments on dogs at taxpayer-funded institutions.
The package of bills, dubbed Queenie's Law, aims to prohibit public bodies from conducting research or training on dogs "in a manner that causes pain or distress." The legislation has already garnered support from several high-profile figures in the state, including fellow Lion and tight end Sam LaPorta, and actors Alison Eastwood and Lily Tomlin.
Wright and Johnston's letter, penned with the help of animal advocacy group Happy Paws Haven, argues that Michigan taxpayers should not be footing the bill for such cruel experiments. "If dogs are considered family in Michigan homes, they shouldn't be treated as disposable tools in public labs," the couple wrote.
The proposed ban has drawn pushback from some research and business groups, who argue it could hinder biomedical research and harm Michigan's competitiveness. However, supporters point to the growing trend towards human-relevant research methods, citing the National Institutes of Health's decision to close its last in-house beagle lab as a major step towards replacing animal research.
In addition to Wright and Johnston, several other notable figures have lent their support to the legislation, including Michigan-based actors Ernie Hudson and Callie LaPorta. The bills have already cleared one hurdle in the House, with no votes against HB 4254, although the Senate version remains in committee.
The legislation is named after Queenie, a stray dog from Gratiot County that was subjected to months of heart failure experiments before being killed at Wayne State University. Backers say the law would prevent such cases and bring an end to what they call "dead-end" research.
As the debate rages on, animal welfare advocates continue to highlight the need for more humane alternatives in biomedical research, citing developments like Michigan State University's functioning human heart model as proof that the science is moving away from dog experiments.
In a surprise move, Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright and his fiancée Carley Johnston have joined the growing chorus of advocates urging Michigan lawmakers to approve legislation banning painful experiments on dogs at taxpayer-funded institutions.
The package of bills, dubbed Queenie's Law, aims to prohibit public bodies from conducting research or training on dogs "in a manner that causes pain or distress." The legislation has already garnered support from several high-profile figures in the state, including fellow Lion and tight end Sam LaPorta, and actors Alison Eastwood and Lily Tomlin.
Wright and Johnston's letter, penned with the help of animal advocacy group Happy Paws Haven, argues that Michigan taxpayers should not be footing the bill for such cruel experiments. "If dogs are considered family in Michigan homes, they shouldn't be treated as disposable tools in public labs," the couple wrote.
The proposed ban has drawn pushback from some research and business groups, who argue it could hinder biomedical research and harm Michigan's competitiveness. However, supporters point to the growing trend towards human-relevant research methods, citing the National Institutes of Health's decision to close its last in-house beagle lab as a major step towards replacing animal research.
In addition to Wright and Johnston, several other notable figures have lent their support to the legislation, including Michigan-based actors Ernie Hudson and Callie LaPorta. The bills have already cleared one hurdle in the House, with no votes against HB 4254, although the Senate version remains in committee.
The legislation is named after Queenie, a stray dog from Gratiot County that was subjected to months of heart failure experiments before being killed at Wayne State University. Backers say the law would prevent such cases and bring an end to what they call "dead-end" research.
As the debate rages on, animal welfare advocates continue to highlight the need for more humane alternatives in biomedical research, citing developments like Michigan State University's functioning human heart model as proof that the science is moving away from dog experiments.