Harrisburg, Pa (May 11, 2026) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta was joined by animal advocates and rescue dogs from across this Commonwealth this week to push for stronger animal protection laws at a rally on the steps of the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
“Animals bring people together, and they bring out the best in us,” Comitta said. “Now, it’s time for us to come together in the legislature and do better for them.”
At the gathering, Humane World for Animals presented Comitta and State Senator Doug Mastriano with the Pennsylvania Humane Bi-Partisan Champion Award for their work on the Beagle Bill (Senate Bill 381).
The bipartisan legislation prevents laboratories from using state funding for painful experiments on cats and dogs, requires them to use non-animal tests once available, ends the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, and ensures dogs and cats have a chance for adoption after the experiments are over.
“I think we can all agree that we should not subject dogs to harmful, painful, and unnecessary testing, and our tax dollars shouldn’t support animal cruelty or facilities that violate our humane values and laws,” Comitta said. “The Beagle Bill is a big step forward for dogs and all animals. And it’s an opportunity for Pennsylvania to show that we can lead the way in treating them humanely.”
The bill introduced by Mastriano and co-sponsored by Comitta, unanimously passed the Senate in September and is now before the House Judiciary Committee.
It was one of several bills highlighted by animal advocates and members of the Pennsylvania Animal Protection Caucus this week as part of Humane Lobby Day in the Pennsylvania State Capitol. In addition, the group lobbied for:
- Ending Live Pigeon Shoots (Senate Bill 1159 and House Bill 1097)
- Ban Cat Declawing (Senate Bill 846 and House Bill 1716)
- Victoria’s Law (Senate Bill 1190 and House Bill 1816)
The Beagle Bill was inspired by the rescue of nearly 4,000 beagles from Envigo, a facility in Virginia that bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. The facility was shut down in 2022 for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Dozens of Beagles from Envigo were rescued and subsequently adopted out to loving families by Pennsylvania animal welfare organizations. Several, including Phoebe, who was rescued by Anita Archambeau, participated in the rally outside the state capitol.
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