Michigan's Top Lawmakers Urged to Ban Painful Dog Experiments as Taxpayer-Funded Research Continues
The issue of animal testing has sparked renewed attention in Michigan, with several prominent figures from the world of sports and entertainment calling on lawmakers to approve legislation that would ban painful experiments on dogs at taxpayer-funded institutions. The bill, known as Queenie's Law, aims to prohibit public bodies in Michigan from conducting research or training on dogs "in a manner that causes pain or distress."
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright and his fiancée Carley Johnston have joined forces with director and actor Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint Eastwood, to send a letter to Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and House Speaker Matt Hall urging them to advance the proposal. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a medical ethics nonprofit advocating for the bills, released the statement.
Queenie's Law is designed to address the issue of taxpayer-funded research that critics say has continued for decades without producing meaningful results. According to supporters, Michigan taxpayers are helping bankroll cruel and invasive canine experiments at institutions like Wayne State University.
Since 1991, the National Institutes of Health has spent around $15 million on Wayne State's canine research, the Physicians Committee said, arguing that the work has yielded no usable results. Critics argue that dogs subjected to these experiments are subjected to painful procedures such as having their chest cavities opened and devices inserted into their hearts.
"Anyone who has a dog at home would be shocked to learn of the deadly experiments occurring inside public labs—and what's equally shocking is how unnecessary those experiments are," Wright and Johnston wrote in their letter. "Cutting-edge, human-relevant research means there is no reason to harm and kill dogs to improve public health."
The legislation has already gained momentum, with support from several high-profile Michigan natives, including Lions teammate Sam LaPorta and actors Lily Tomlin and Ernie Hudson.
However, opponents of the bill argue that restrictions on animal studies could hinder biomedical research and harm Michigan's competitiveness. They claim that alternatives such as clinical trials and population studies are already producing better results for patients.
Supporters counter that these alternatives do not exist yet, citing developments in Michigan like a functioning human heart model created at Michigan State University.
The bills have cleared one hurdle in the House, with the Regulatory Reform Committee voting overwhelmingly to advance HB 4254. However, their fate remains uncertain as the Senate version has been stuck in committee.
As the debate rages on, Wright and Johnston emphasize that dogs should not be treated as disposable tools in public labs if they are considered family in Michigan homes.
The issue of animal testing has sparked renewed attention in Michigan, with several prominent figures from the world of sports and entertainment calling on lawmakers to approve legislation that would ban painful experiments on dogs at taxpayer-funded institutions. The bill, known as Queenie's Law, aims to prohibit public bodies in Michigan from conducting research or training on dogs "in a manner that causes pain or distress."
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright and his fiancée Carley Johnston have joined forces with director and actor Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint Eastwood, to send a letter to Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and House Speaker Matt Hall urging them to advance the proposal. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a medical ethics nonprofit advocating for the bills, released the statement.
Queenie's Law is designed to address the issue of taxpayer-funded research that critics say has continued for decades without producing meaningful results. According to supporters, Michigan taxpayers are helping bankroll cruel and invasive canine experiments at institutions like Wayne State University.
Since 1991, the National Institutes of Health has spent around $15 million on Wayne State's canine research, the Physicians Committee said, arguing that the work has yielded no usable results. Critics argue that dogs subjected to these experiments are subjected to painful procedures such as having their chest cavities opened and devices inserted into their hearts.
"Anyone who has a dog at home would be shocked to learn of the deadly experiments occurring inside public labs—and what's equally shocking is how unnecessary those experiments are," Wright and Johnston wrote in their letter. "Cutting-edge, human-relevant research means there is no reason to harm and kill dogs to improve public health."
The legislation has already gained momentum, with support from several high-profile Michigan natives, including Lions teammate Sam LaPorta and actors Lily Tomlin and Ernie Hudson.
However, opponents of the bill argue that restrictions on animal studies could hinder biomedical research and harm Michigan's competitiveness. They claim that alternatives such as clinical trials and population studies are already producing better results for patients.
Supporters counter that these alternatives do not exist yet, citing developments in Michigan like a functioning human heart model created at Michigan State University.
The bills have cleared one hurdle in the House, with the Regulatory Reform Committee voting overwhelmingly to advance HB 4254. However, their fate remains uncertain as the Senate version has been stuck in committee.
As the debate rages on, Wright and Johnston emphasize that dogs should not be treated as disposable tools in public labs if they are considered family in Michigan homes.
. I mean, can't we find other ways to test our research? It's not like the scientists haven't got any other ideas 
. And it's all taxpayer-funded 
, which just makes me more angry. Like, who gets to decide that my hard-earned cash is being used to hurt innocent dogs for no good reason 
?
. They're not just celebrities, they're also people who care about their community 
. And Alison Eastwood joining the cause too! That's awesome 
.
. If we can make Queenie's Law happen, that would be amazing 
. I'm so tired of these animal testing debates 
. Can't we just agree that it's time to stop? 
but seriously its a major red flag when ppl say theres no other way to get results and still use taxpayer $$ 
that just dont sit right with me. i think its time we reevaluate our priorities as a society and ask ourselves if this is really worth it.
but let's be real, thats still not the same as putting a living being through pain and suffering just to test something. that gotta be stopped ASAP 
. i mean, think about it, we're talking about using our hard-earned cash to inflict pain and distress on innocent creatures just so some humans can say they've made a breakthrough in medicine? no thanks! 
.
and u gotta wonder if we really need 15 MILLION DOLLARS spent on dog experiments since 1991 
. I mean, think about it - we're already living with AI assistants like Alexa and Google Home, so why do we need to use real animals to test our technology? 
.
.
. We need to start asking ourselves some tough questions about what we're willing to do in the name of science and progress 
let's keep it humane & find better ways 2 help ppl 
I mean, think about it, we're already overpaying for healthcare with our taxes and now we're expected to foot the bill for unnecessary dog experiments? It's just not right 
. And from what I've read, these experiments have been going on for decades without producing anything meaningful? That's just ridiculous 
. My kid would be horrified if he knew his tax money was being used to hurt animals like that 
but the doctors at this one uni were all like "nope dont wanna do that" cuz they're too scared 
. so now theres a law bill thats trying to stop other dogs from gettin treated bad 2 
. Let's make Michigan a leader in humane research and create better alternatives for human-relevant studies 
.
, so let's keep rallying behind this cause!
? It feels like some people are trying to create a narrative that taxpayer-funded research is always cruel and unnecessary.
If some people are making money off these experiments and getting results that aren't too shabby, shouldn't that be considered? And what about the research that doesn't involve animals at all? Is that not valuable enough?
. We need more focus on solving actual problems, not just waving our hands and saying 'oh, animals have feelings too!' 
animal testing is literally cruel & unnecessary! i mean u got ppl like brock wright & carley johnston speakin out against it & even celebrities like alison eastwood gettin involved 
its like, come on lawmakers dont be so clueless !! queenies law is a great idea & i hope it passes soon