PA Animal Protection Caucus celebrates “Beagle Bill” signature into law
Rep. Melissa Shusterman October 23, 2026 | 2:39 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 23 – State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, founder and co-chair of the PA Animal Protection Caucus, is proud to announce that Senate Bill 381 has been signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The PA Animal Protection Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral caucus of legislators committed to giving a voice to the voiceless and promoting humane policies. The legislation, known as the Beagle Bill, promotes the adoption of dogs and cats used in research and has been a priority of the Animal Protection Caucus for many years. The new law will:
- Grant dogs and cats in research testing facilities an opportunity to be adopted into a loving home after the experiments are over.
- Prohibit the sale of cosmetics that have been newly tested on animals.
- Require animal testing facilities to publish a link to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Care public search tool in a conspicuous spot on their website. This tool allows the public to look up the research facilities’ annual reports, inspection reports, and any enforcement actions taken by USDA.
- Prevent the expenditure of state funds for dog or cat experiments unless the facilities are complying with federal research oversight provisions including ensuring the research protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and conducted under the oversight of an attending veterinarian.
According to the most recent data available from the United States Department of Agriculture, laboratories in the U.S. reported using more than 40,000 dogs and 10,000 cats in their facilities in 2024. In Pennsylvania, 12 facilities reported using more than 3,000 dogs and cats in experiments. Shusterman said animals in experiments typically live their entire lives confined in laboratory settings, suffer terribly and are usually killed at the end of the experiments.
Experiments on animals are often funded by federal research agencies, like the National Institutes of Health, or conducted to satisfy requirements or recommendations imposed by federal regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the Food and Drug Administration. However, these same agencies have each announced in April their renewed plans and clear commitment to phase out animal testing and embrace cutting-edge non-animal technologies.
“My colleagues and I in the Animal Protection Caucus have spent years advocating for this vital legislation which gives dogs and cats the chance to be adopted into loving homes after their experiments are over and creates greater transparency in animal testing facilities,” Shusterman said. “This is a tremendous step forward and an historic commitment to animal welfare in our Commonwealth. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate and Governor Shapiro for all coming together to make this bill into a law!”
“As co-chair of the animal protection caucus, I’m thrilled that the Beagle Bill is now law,” state Sen. Nick Pisciottano, D-Allegheny, said. “Animals across Pennsylvania deserve these protections, and I'm proud to join my colleagues and advocates in making that happen.”
The bill which was passed unanimously by both the state House and Senate was signed this week and is now Act 92 of 2026.