NIH Shuts Down Beagle Laboratory After 40 Years of Abuse Claims

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has closed its last in-house laboratory conducting controversial experiments on beagles, ending over forty years of animal testing that included subjecting dogs to pneumonia-inducing bacteria and other harsh procedures. The decision, announced by NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, reflects a broader shift toward replacing animal testing with advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, which are expected to yield more accurate insights for human health. The closure followed mounting public outrage, congressional scrutiny, and advocacy from groups such as the White Coat Waste Project, which exposed the extent and nature of the beagle experiments. The Trump administration played a significant role in phasing out such animal testing, with additional support for transitioning to non-animal research methods coming from the FDA and EPA. The controversial research, often linked to Dr. Anthony Fauci's tenure, had used taxpayer funds and included particularly graphic and lethal experiments both domestically and abroad. Animal rights organizations have welcomed the shutdown and are monitoring the welfare of any surviving dogs and future NIH research practices.