Don’t Backslide: End EPA Animal Testing by 2035

This is the kind of good news we’ve been waiting for. For years, animal advocates have pushed for a future where “safety testing” doesn’t mean suffering—and now, the EPA is taking a real step forward. The agency has renewed its commitment to end animal testing on mammals by 2035, signaling that the era of cruel, outdated experiments could finally be coming to an end. This is a win for compassion, a win for innovation, and a moment worth celebrating.

Because right now, mammals like rabbits, mice, rats, and dogs are still used in toxicity tests that can involve chemical burns, forced exposure, extreme stress, and death. These animals are not lab equipment. They feel pain. They panic. They suffer.

And it’s not just cruel—it’s outdated.

The truth is: we have better tools now.

Modern science is moving forward with non-animal methods like human cell-based testing, advanced computer modeling, and other innovative approaches that can be faster, more efficient, and more relevant to human biology than old-school animal experiments.

So yes—we’re celebrating this EPA commitment. It’s a big deal. It’s a win for animals, a win for science, and a win for everyone who believes progress should come with compassion.

But here’s the thing: a promise isn’t a plan unless it’s backed by action.

That’s why we’re urging the EPA to follow through—fully and fast—by:

⁃ Sticking to the 2035 deadline to end mammal testing

⁃ Prioritizing non-animal methods whenever possible

⁃ Funding and expanding humane alternatives so they scale quickly

⁃ Publishing clear progress updates the public can track

⁃ Keeping chemical safety protections strong for people and the planet

The EPA exists to protect life. That mission should include the animals who have been forced to suffer in the name of regulation for far too long.

We can build a future where safety testing is smart, modern, and cruelty-free—and the EPA’s renewed commitment is the clearest sign yet that change is possible.

Let’s make sure this moment becomes a turning point—not a headline that fades.

Sign the petition to support the EPA’s plan to end mammal animal testing by 2035—and demand real action to make it happen.

The petition to the EPA reads: We applaud the EPA’s renewed commitment to end mammal animal testing by 2035 and urge the agency to stay firmly on track to meet that deadline. We call on the EPA to accelerate the transition to modern non-animal testing methods while maintaining strong protections for human health and the environment.

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Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/climate/epa-animal-testing-ban.html

https://www.humaneworld.org/en/news/epa-renewed-commitment-end-animal-testing