We have an opportunity to do a really good thing today and I want to thank my colleague from the 12th District for us working together on saving hundreds of dogs and cats after their time in a research lab. Dogs and cats that are typically perfectly adoptable, but that are typically euthanized after their time in a lab.
Of the roughly 600 dogs that are euthanized every year in Michigan, a good portion of them are beagles. Why beagles? Because they are docile, trusting, and forgiving. Teddy was—is, Teddy is alive—one of 32 beagles rescued from a Michigan lab in 2019 following reports of an undercover investigation. The report revealed that Teddy and dozens of other dogs were being force-fed fungicide every day, up to a year, to test the substance’s toxicity. Thankfully, Teddy and all 32 beagles were adopted into loving homes instead of being euthanized.
These dogs don’t have names, they have tattoos. These dogs have never played on the grass. These dogs have never played with another dog. If you vote “yes” today, all that has to end. Dogs that are able to be adopted after medical research will be required to be adopted by law. I hope you can do this very heartwarming and good thing today by voting “yes.”
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 149, entitled
A bill to amend 1969 PA 224, entitled “An act to license and regulate dealers in and research facilities using dogs and cats for research purposes; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts,” by amending the title and sections 1 and 7 (MCL 287.381 and 287.387) and by adding section 8a.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
Senator Hertel offered the following substitute:
Substitute (S-1).
The substitute was adopted, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: