The Delaware State Senate voted unanimously to legally compel research laboratories to release healthy dogs and cats that are often times euthanized when facilities no longer need them for testing.

If the Governor signs the legislation, Delaware will become the eighth state to enact such a law which will legally compel research laboratories in the state to release dogs and cats that are no longer needed for testing to rescue groups so that they can be adopted into loving families.

Prior to the passage of the bill the facilities could, and often did, kill the animals even though they could have been rehabilitated and adopted after the research was completed.

The Los Angeles based animal rescue and advocacy organization, Beagle Freedom Project, worked with Delaware State Senator John Walsh who sponsored the legislation.

“This policy addresses a real deficiency of law and we are so proud to be able to secure homes for animals that have endured so much suffering,” said Gail Thomssen, Philanthropy and Outreach Officer at Beagle Freedom Project. “No longer will these dogs and cats be killed once research is over.”

“I’m honestly amazed that this was even a debate,” Sen. Jack Walsh told our sister-station WDEL. “We have healthy animals that research labs don’t want. We have local shelters that are willing to care for them. We have families that might want to adopt them. It defies reason that anyone would choose to euthanize them instead of giving them a second lease on life. If just one of these animals becomes a pet, all of the work that went into this bill will be worth it.”

Original Article: Delaware 1059 FM