USA Today: Defiant VA demands tax money for puppy tests as WCW scores major reforms

Posted by Justin Goodman
01 November 2018 | Blog, POW


In just 18 months, White Coat Waste Project’s campaign to end painful taxpayer-funded dog experimentation at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made historic progress. Congress has twice enacted legislation restricting VA’s dog testing. Virginia enacted the nation’s first state law banning spending on “maximum pain” dog and cat experiments. The VA implemented the federal government’s first lab animal adoption policy. And the bipartisan PUPPERS Act to permanently defund the VA’s most painful dog testing has nearly 100 cosponsors.

Now, we’re seeing the positive impacts of this effort, and the VA’s shameful efforts to prevent more progress.

In a recent letter to U.S. Representatives Dave Brat (R-VA) and Dina Titus (D-NV), VA Secretary Robert Wilkie outlines progress to date:

  • No new VA dog testing has been initiated since July 2017,  when the U.S. House voted unanimously to de-fund the practice
  • VA discontinued two active dog testing projects and canceled plans for two other invasive experiments
  • VA spending on dog testing in 2018 is significantly lower than what was budgeted
  • Several dogs have been adopted out of VA labs

As first reported by USA Today, Secretary Wilkie’s letter also includes troubling information about several existing VA dog testing projects in Richmond, Cleveland and Milwaukee that have been allowed to continue under questionable circumstances.  According to USA Today, the VA did not properly review and approve the projects, as is required by federal law.

Former VA Secretary David Shulkin, veterans, and lawmakers immediately condemned the VA:

Take a moment to write your Congress members and urge them to support the bipartisan PUPPERS Act to permanently cut federal funding for all painful dog experiments at the VA.

Blog Comments

This has got to STOP animals are not ours to poke and prod for our benefit

Completely horrible

Stop torturing these poor animals

PLEASE PLEASE END THIS ABUSE!

stop wasting our money

PLEASE support the bipartisan PUPPERS Act to permanently cut federal funding for all painful dog experiments at the VA!

If no justice is served here to stop these horrific and torturous experiments on animals then you who are responsible will be judged when your time comes. May God have mercy on your souls.

I support the bipartisan PUPPERS Act to permanently cut federal funding for all painful dog experiments at the VA

This is simply barbaric and unnecessary! There are plenty of ways to test and educate people re healthy lifestyles, prevention and otherwise. To do this and take my hard earned money is disgraceful! Shame on you!

Please stop this inhumane practice!

Stop testing on all animals. Do the testing on people. They act like animals.

This is absolutely HORRIFIC and completely UNESSESARY!!!!!! STOP IT AND STOP IT NOW!!!!!!

Not necessary

stop the animal abuse and stop it NOW!

You need to stop this barbaric treatment of some of the most loving, beautiful dogs on this Planet! What you are doing is pure torture and absolutely cruel to these animals which have no voice to say, stop!!! Please make them stop this craziness to these doggies.

There obviously is better ways of finding out information about our beloved friends. This, is not a way of finding said information out. Stop wasting money and find a better way, that doesn’t cause harm.

Sadistic! Remove these people from their positions and bring this outfit into the 21st century. What is wrong with these people??

When we going to stop these cruel, inhuman and unnecessary expierments. NO MORE TAX MONEY WASTED

They’re not scientists …they’re sadistic , sick and cruel people !
This is wrong on so many levels. As a taxpayer I don’t want our money used for torturing animals!!

The real truth , why V.A. Is performing these criminals act

[…] group White Coat Waste Project—which has lead the grassroots campaign to end VA’s dog testing—obtained documents showing that while some existing testing has been canceled and no new VA dog testing has been […]

[…] group White Coat Waste Project—which has lead the grassroots campaign to end VA’s dog testing—obtained documents showing that while some existing testing has been canceled and no new VA dog testing has been […]

STOP KILLING OUR FUR-BABIES, YA’ DAMN STUPID BUREAUCRATIC BASTARDS!!

Anybody who has no regard or compassion of
animal and human rights, has no place ANYWHERE on this Earth!!

[…] group White Coat Waste Project—which has lead the grassroots campaign to end VA’s dog testing—obtained documents showing that while some existing testing has been canceled and no new VA dog testing has been […]

[…] Affairs (VA) is facing criticism from Republican lawmakers and veterans groups over its continued fatal dog experiments paid for on the taxpayers’ dime — and may even be in violation of federal […]

[…] group White Coat Waste Project—which has lead the grassroots campaign to end VA’s dog testing—obtained documents showing that while some existing testing has been canceled and no new VA dog testing has been […]

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