Navy halts dog and cat experiments after PETA writes Hegseth about US taxpayer-funded animal tests
Share and Follow


The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) penned a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy Secretary John Phelan Thursday, thanking the Trump administration for its ban on Navy-funded dog and cat experiments announced this week and requesting a broader ban on all animal testing in all military branches.

Phelan on Tuesday terminated all Department of the Navy testing on cats and dogs, saving taxpayer dollars and ending these inhumane studies.

“This is long overdue,” Phelan said in a video posted to X. “In addition to this termination, I’m directing the surgeon general of the Navy to conduct a comprehensive review of all medical research programs to ensure they align with ethical guidelines, scientific necessity, and our core values of integrity and readiness.”

PETA on Thursday further urged the Department of Defense to conduct a similar comprehensive, agency-wide audit aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in cruel and outdated animal experimentation. 

PETA also requested in the letter that Defense Department officials prohibit funding of tests on animals at foreign institutions.

In one experiment in Canada, which is receiving $429,347 in DOD funding, a University of Alberta experimenter is using dogs as “models” of a muscle wasting disease. 

In another ongoing DOD-funded foreign experiment in Australia, which is receiving $599,984, a James Cook University researcher is burning 30% of rats’ body surface with scalding water and into their livers, inflicting an “[u]ncontrolled hemorrhage.”

The Department of Defense, Secretary of the Navy’s office and Navy Office of Information did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
California voter ID law hits 1 million signatures, organizer says

California Voter ID Initiative Reaches Milestone with 1 Million Signatures, Organizer Reports

LOS ANGELES — A proposed statewide measure mandating voters to present photo…
Dear Abby: My grandbaby never visits our side of the family

Grandparent Dilemma: Seeking Solutions for Limited Visits from Beloved Grandchild

DEAR ABBY: My son tied the knot with a wonderful woman, “Noelle,”…
DNC chair Ken Martin likens US to Iran, claims Trump admin is 'killing protesters'

DNC Chair Ken Martin Accuses Trump Administration of ‘Killing Protesters,’ Compares U.S. to Iran in Bold Remarks

WASHINGTON — Ken Martin, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC),…
Linda Brown, missing Chicago teacher, found dead in Lake Michigan, Cook County Medical Examiner's Office says

Tragic Discovery: Missing Chicago Teacher Linda Brown Found Deceased in Lake Michigan

A Chicago Public Schools teacher, who had been missing for over a…
Ex-congressional IT aide accused of stealing 240 government phones and selling them at pawn shop

Former Congressional IT Staffer Allegedly Caught Selling Stolen Government Phones at Pawn Shop

A former IT aide for Congress stands accused of exploiting his position…
Driver appears to ram U-Haul truck through crowd during Iran protest in Los Angeles

U-Haul Truck Involved in Incident at Iran Protest in Los Angeles: One Injured, Driver Apprehended

A protest in Los Angeles advocating for anti-regime demonstrators in Iran turned…
New 'super flu' targeting two groups of Americans... as deaths rise

Urgent Alert: New ‘Super Flu’ Surges in the U.S., Posing Major Threat to These Two Vulnerable Groups

Hospitalizations due to this year’s so-called ‘super flu’ are on a steep…
Red-Washing: How the media sanitizes a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary as a ‘preschool teacher’

Unmasking Red-Washing: Media’s Portrayal of Marxist-Leninist Revolutionaries as Innocuous Preschool Teachers

Jessica Plichta became an unexpected symbol of protest when she was arrested…