According to the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) annual report, 56,031 animals (7% of those tested on in the USA in 2018) were used in experiments for which no pain relief is provided, including 3,233 rabbits, 802 monkeys, 332 dogs and 28 cats.

A total of 780,070 animals were used in US research in 2018, including 70,797 primates, 59,401 dogs and 18,619 cats.

The USDA report does not include tests on mice, rats, fish or birds, despite these animals known to be used in millions of experiments. As a result, the true number of animals suffering in US laboratories is expected to be in the tens of millions.

Massachusetts is the top user of animals for research in the US testing on 82,177 animals in 2018 (9% increase since 2017), followed by California with 68,337 animals (6% increase) and New Jersey with 62,862 animals (2% decrease).

Last year the US Environmental Protection Agency announced it would prioritize efforts to reduce animal research with the goal of eliminating toxicity tests on mammals by 2035. We call on US authorities to set targets and timetables such as this across the board.

Monica Engebretson, our Head of Public Affairs North America, said: “We are shocked by the number of animals suffering in US laboratories without pain relief. We urge the US government to act now to end cruel, unreliable and outdated animal experiments and adopt the HEARTS act to prioritize the use of more humane and human-relevant non-animal methods.”

If you live in the US, please contact your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor the HEARTS Act and support the use of humane alternatives to animal tests in US research. Take action here.