In recent years, thousands of beagles rescued from a mass breeding operation found loving homes in Kentucky. Dogs like Harlow—once confined to a life of cages and early breeding—now sleep on couches, learn how to trust, and live like the companions they were always meant to be. Their stories are not rare exceptions. They are proof of what’s possible when animals are given a chance.

Right now, dogs and cats used in research across Kentucky don’t always get that chance. Too often, when testing ends, adoption isn’t the default outcome, and the public has little visibility into how many animals are used or how taxpayer dollars support this work. House Bill 465 changes that in a careful, balanced way.

HB 465 would ensure that dogs and cats retired from research are made available for adoption whenever appropriate, with veterinarians retaining discretion if an animal’s health or behavior makes adoption unsafe. It would also prohibit state funds from being used for painful experiments, as already defined under federal law, and require facilities that receive state funding to publish clear, annual reports about their animal testing practices. 

Kentuckians across the political spectrum agree that if public dollars are involved, the public deserves to know how animals are treated—and that animals who can safely be adopted should not be denied that opportunity.

We are urging the members of the Kentucky House Agriculture Committee and the sponsors of HB 465, Representative V. Grossl and Representative T. Roberts, to advance this bill and give it a fair hearing. We also call on the full Kentucky House of Representatives to support its passage.

Kentucky can lead with both heart and common sense.