Activists pressure USDA to extend animal research rights
By Leah Kruszewski | October 12, 2000According to the federal government, mice, rats and birds are not animals. Ninty-five percent of all creatures used in laboratory experiments are not legally considered "animals" and are excluded from regulations on care and treatment. But pressure from animal rights activists and a lawsuit from the Alternatives Research and Development Foundation (ARDF) prompted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to write a rule that would expand the definition of "animal" to include these creatures most commonly used in scientific research.
