NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

October 2025

Macaque in cage | © noombkk - Adobe Stock

NO funding for primate breeding and research

Special interest groups promoting animal research have been pressuring Congress to fund the expansion of breeding programs at the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs)—programs that would produce more monkeys for painful and unnecessary experiments. Although the NPRCs have a history of gross negligence and Animal Welfare Act penalties, the Senate Appropriations Committee believes it’s fitting to allocate $30 million to the National Institutes of Health to expand the primate breeding at the NPRCs.

It’s likely that once back in session, Congress will move quickly to pass the FY2026 budget, so it’s important to act now to ensure this funding is not included in the final appropriations bill.

Why this funding must be rejected:

More than 104,800 primates were used or held in U.S. labs in 2024—many subjected to invasive procedures that cause immense suffering.
Over 90% of drugs tested on animals (including primates) fail in human trials, proving that animals are not a reliable “model” for humans.
Human-relevant research methods—such as organ-on-a-chip, genomics, proteomics, and advanced cell-based models—offer better science and real potential for medical breakthroughs. AAVS’s affiliate, the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation, funds the development and use of non-animal methods.
Primates are wild animals who endure severe psychological and physical distress when confined to laboratory cages.

Researchers and their lobbying allies have failed to secure funding for more breeding in the past. Let’s make sure they fail again! Please act now to help prevent innocent animals from suffering in labs by urging your members of Congress to oppose any funding to expand primate breeding programs in the FY2026 federal budget.

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Other News

Long-Tailed Macaques Retain Endangered Status

Long-tailed macaques will retain their endangered status on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List, despite a 2023 complaint by the National Association for Biomedical Research challenging the listing. A study found that wild populations declined 50-70% over the past three decades, largely due to their use in research. The illegal trade of wild monkeys being sold as captive bred led to a 2022 indictment alleging an international conspiracy to smuggle macaques into the U.S. for experimentation.

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Facing Criminal Charges, Research Supplier Gives Up Dog Breeding License

Science reports that Ridglan Farms, the second largest breeder of dogs for research in the U.S., will give up its Wisconsin license and stop selling dogs by July 1, 2026 rather than face criminal charges for animal welfare violations. However, the company can still breed dogs for the experiments it conducts. This underscores the growing ethical debate surrounding the lucrative business of selling animals for research; Envigo, another U.S. dog breeding company, pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act.

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SANCTUARY MOMENT

Center for Great Apes

Angie | Photo by Dana Goedewaagen © Equine Advocates

Resilient

Mari is an orangutan who has no arms. Born at the Emory National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, she lost both her arms at just 12 weeks old when her mom, in a very agitated state, damaged Mari’s limbs beyond repair. Despite this trauma, Mari was sent to Georgia State University where she was used in language and cognition studies for 15 years before arriving at the Center for Great Apes (CGA), a Florida sanctuary and longtime AAVS Sanctuary Fund grant recipient.

Mari doesn’t let her disability slow her down one bit. Her caregivers say she moves with such ease and grace that it’s easy to forget she’s missing her arms. Mari is amazingly resilient and recently celebrated her 44th birthday. Happy birthday, Mari!

CGA is very active on social media, so check them out and meet some of the other orangutans and chimpanzees living there.

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