Permanently Stop Abusive VA Dog Experiments

Recent signers:
Sarah Carr and 19 others have signed recently.

The Issue

UPDATE (September 2018): U.S. Congress and the President enacted a law extending restrictions on VA's dog experiments through 2019. Read more here.

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UPDATE (March 2018): Following your efforts, U.S. Congress enacted a law to de-fund the VA's dog experiments for 2018 and placed dramatic restrictions on the practice. Read more here. We're still working to end this waste and abuse for good!

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As U.S. military veterans, family members, and active duty members, we’re sickened that the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) has been using taxpayers’ money to purchase, breed, abuse and kill dogs in wasteful experiments. The VA’s painful and deadly experiments on dogs are a betrayal of these loyal animals who literally save soldiers’ lives on and off the battlefield. These projects also waste resources desperately needed to provide veterans with care and services.  

According to news reports and the non-profit White Coat Waste Project, some of the V.A.’s current projects involve:

  • giving mixed-breed puppies heart attacks (Richmond V.A.)
  • cutting into beagle puppies’ brains (Milwaukee V.A.)
  • damaging dogs’ spinal cords (Cleveland V.A.)

With the support of 75% of taxpayers and a coalition of influential Democratic and Republican lawmakers, in March 2018 Congress enacted legislation that cuts funding for and drastically restricts future dog testing at the VA.

Now, please join us in urging the VA Secretary to PERMANENTLY end this waste and abuse.  

William Barko, US Army Ret.
John Blaha, USAF Ret.
Stan Benton, USN Ret. and USAF Ret.
Bruce Bryant, US Army Ret.
Chris Burand, US Army Ret.
Gary Cantara, USAF separated, honorable discharge
William Coll, US Army Ret.
Michael Donahue, USN
Wayne Hair, US Army Ret.
Ed Hernandez, USMC
Will Hubbard
Jennifer Johnson, USN Ret.
Dr. Isis Johnson-Brown, US Army Ret.
Ken Phillips, US Army Ret.
Robert Reed, USAF Ret.
Diane Solomon, USN Spouse
Tyler Spires, US Army
Virginia Joy Stovall, USN Ret.
Lyn Strangstad
Danell Tomasella, US Army Ret.
Nancy Warner-Brown
Jennifer Wilsbacher, US Army Ret.
Merrie Wilson, USAF Ret.

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White Coat WastePetition Starter
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222,535

Recent signers:
Sarah Carr and 19 others have signed recently.

The Issue

UPDATE (September 2018): U.S. Congress and the President enacted a law extending restrictions on VA's dog experiments through 2019. Read more here.

---

UPDATE (March 2018): Following your efforts, U.S. Congress enacted a law to de-fund the VA's dog experiments for 2018 and placed dramatic restrictions on the practice. Read more here. We're still working to end this waste and abuse for good!

---

As U.S. military veterans, family members, and active duty members, we’re sickened that the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) has been using taxpayers’ money to purchase, breed, abuse and kill dogs in wasteful experiments. The VA’s painful and deadly experiments on dogs are a betrayal of these loyal animals who literally save soldiers’ lives on and off the battlefield. These projects also waste resources desperately needed to provide veterans with care and services.  

According to news reports and the non-profit White Coat Waste Project, some of the V.A.’s current projects involve:

  • giving mixed-breed puppies heart attacks (Richmond V.A.)
  • cutting into beagle puppies’ brains (Milwaukee V.A.)
  • damaging dogs’ spinal cords (Cleveland V.A.)

With the support of 75% of taxpayers and a coalition of influential Democratic and Republican lawmakers, in March 2018 Congress enacted legislation that cuts funding for and drastically restricts future dog testing at the VA.

Now, please join us in urging the VA Secretary to PERMANENTLY end this waste and abuse.  

William Barko, US Army Ret.
John Blaha, USAF Ret.
Stan Benton, USN Ret. and USAF Ret.
Bruce Bryant, US Army Ret.
Chris Burand, US Army Ret.
Gary Cantara, USAF separated, honorable discharge
William Coll, US Army Ret.
Michael Donahue, USN
Wayne Hair, US Army Ret.
Ed Hernandez, USMC
Will Hubbard
Jennifer Johnson, USN Ret.
Dr. Isis Johnson-Brown, US Army Ret.
Ken Phillips, US Army Ret.
Robert Reed, USAF Ret.
Diane Solomon, USN Spouse
Tyler Spires, US Army
Virginia Joy Stovall, USN Ret.
Lyn Strangstad
Danell Tomasella, US Army Ret.
Nancy Warner-Brown
Jennifer Wilsbacher, US Army Ret.
Merrie Wilson, USAF Ret.

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White Coat WastePetition Starter
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222,535

The Decision Makers

Rep. Maria Salazar
Rep. Maria Salazar
U.S. Congresswoman
Responded
“Thank you for joining Florida’s 27th District in helping to end cruel and unnecessary government experiments on dogs. I am proud to be supporting bipartisan efforts in Congress to finally bring this wasteful and inhumane practice to an end! Like many of you, I was deeply disturbed to learn that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been using taxpayer dollars to purchase puppies and abuse them in painful and outdated experiments that are opposed by most Americans. That is why I signed onto a bipartisan letter with 60 of my colleagues to request that the VA ends all painful dog and cat experiments at their agency. Following the letter, the bipartisan 2022 VA funding bill proposed to defund these experiments, setting the pathway to finally end the needless pain and suffering of these animals. I also recently cosponsored the Alternatives to Animals for Regulatory Fairness (AARF) Act (H.R. 1905), which would ensure that drug companies can use high-tech alternatives – instead of inhumane dog and animal testing – to fulfill FDA requirements. The passage of the AARF Act will save animals’ lives, save companies time and money, and help to accelerate medical innovation. As a Member of the bipartisan Animal Protection Caucus, I look forward to continuing to bring awareness of animal welfare issues to the forefront of Congress. Thank you for joining Florida’s 27th District in fighting against wasteful animal testing! Sincerely, Congresswoman María Salazar (FL-27) https://www.facebook.com/CongresswomanMariaElviraSalazar/ https://twitter.com/RepMariaSalazar https://www.instagram.com/repmariasalazar”
Denis McDonough
Denis McDonough
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs

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Petition created on June 15, 2017