SPARE Act

The Safeguard Pets, Animals, and Research Ethics Act (SPARE Act) aims to prohibit federal departments, agencies, contractors, and grantees from authorizing or expending funds for research, testing, and experimentation that utilizes animals. This prohibition includes a phased implementation, taking effect 18 months after enactment for cosmetic, toxicity, and basic psychological or behavioral testing, and three years for biomedical and drug testing. Violators of this prohibition or the rehoming requirements face civil penalties of up to $250,000 and potential bans from receiving future federal research grants. Exceptions to the prohibition are made for clinical veterinary research that benefits the animal and research involving military or service animals . Congress can also authorize animal use for infectious disease or national security research if no alternatives exist and animals are used sparingly, requiring a joint resolution for annual approval. To facilitate the transition, the bill establishes the Federal Research Modernization Fund within the National Science Foundation. This fund will award competitive grants to transition research to non-animal methods, offer training to federal contractors, facilitate collaboration, and support the validation and standardization of non-animal research. At least one grant must be awarded to a non-profit rescue or rehabilitation organization. Federally funded research facilities are mandated to establish an Animal Release Program within one year to rehome retired animals to accredited sanctuaries, animal rescue organizations, licensed animal shelters, or eligible individuals. A public database of released animals will be jointly developed and maintained by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the National Institutes of Health. The Comptroller General will conduct annual audits for compliance, and Congress will hold annual hearings on these reports, with the Act taking precedence over conflicting provisions of the Animal Welfare Act or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.