When most of us think of beagles, we think of Snoopy and Charlie Brown. In addition to cementing their place in popular culture, beagles are ideal companions due to their gentle nature, and sturdy yet compact size.
Unfortunately, those same characteristics make them a choice breed for laboratory testing. All too often, many of these tests are painful, do not provide information relevant to humans, and end in euthanasia whether or not the dogs are fit for adoption. Worse yet, sometimes taxpayers are funding these inhumane tests, and they don’t even know it.
In Pennsylvania, we’re working to change that.
I’ve partnered with State Senator Doug Mastriano to introduce Senate Bill 381. While it’s affectionately known as “the Beagle Bill,” the bipartisan legislation protects all dogs (and cats) from cruelty by ending the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the Commonwealth, and ensuring healthy pets have a chance for adoption after the experiments are over. It also calls for increasing transparency in animal experiments and blocking the use of state taxpayer dollars to fund experiments that cause pain or distress without relief.
The bill was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously in the fall but has been tied up in the House Judiciary Committee since then. We need to get it passed in the House and onto the governor’s desk before the legislative session ends this year, or we’ll be forced to restart the process in 2027.
In addition to our love of pets, the Beagle Bill was inspired by the rescue of roughly 4,000 beagles from Envigo, a facility in Virginia that bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. Four years ago this summer, federal authorities raided Envigo after investigations revealed horrific violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Fortunately, many of these dogs were adopted into loving homes, including dozens right here in Pennsylvania. Snoopy can’t speak for himself, but these real-life pups and their adopters have become powerful advocates for change, attending rallies, lobbying lawmakers in Harrisburg, and even getting together for annual reunions around the state. And their work is making a difference. A June 2026 poll by Remington Research Group revealed that 80% of registered voters supported the Beagle Bill, with only 5% opposed.
But the Beagle Bill isn’t just popular with voters; it’s sound policy that is backed by science. Animal tests are often poor predictors of human safety. In fact, more than 90% of drugs safe for animals fail in humans. Alternative methods based on human biology are much more likely to provide accurate results while also saving time and reducing costs. That’s why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Environmental Protection Agency are all moving away from animal testing in favor of advanced human-relevant methods and models.
Furthermore, a growing number of states and industry leaders in cosmetics, personal care, and pharmaceuticals are already phasing out animal testing. The Beagle Bill would make Pennsylvania the 13th state to end the sale of cosmetics produced with animal testing, and it aligns with the cosmetics industry itself endorsing a similar federal ban. Similarly, seventeen other states have passed comparable laws requiring healthy research dogs be released for adoption when they are retired from research purposes.
Over the last 15 years, Pennsylvania has made major strides in cracking down on puppy mills and advancing humane standards. Still, the growing consensus is we can do better. The Beagle Bill is an important part of that movement – sending the message that dogs belong on laps, not in labs. We can advance lifesaving treatments for people without inflicting unnecessary suffering on dogs and cats. We can accelerate the delivery of safer treatments to patients while reducing costs and saving thousands of laboratory animals each year.
The Beagle Bill will ensure that Pennsylvania does not become the site of the next Envigo. It will provide more than 2,100 dogs and 1,100 cats used in Pennsylvania laboratories with the chance to spend the rest of their lives in loving homes. It aligns with public opinion, ongoing federal efforts, and changes in major industries. It’s a win for ethics, innovation, bipartisanship, and animals.
Please call your state representative and tell them to vote for the Beagle Bill. If that isn’t enough to get it passed, in the words of Charlie Brown, “Good Grief!”
Carolyn Comitta, of West Chester, serves as State Senator for Pennsylvania’s 19th District. She is a sponsor of the Beagle Bill (Senate Bill 381) with Senator Doug Mastriano in the Pennsylvania Senate.
NOTE: This opinion piece appeared in PennLive under the title “Good grief! The PA House needs to pass the Beagle Bill now” on August 12, 2026.