Ontario has taken a groundbreaking step toward ending cruel experiments on cats and dogs. A new bill promises to ban invasive testing, as well as breeding dogs and cats for use in research.
This is incredible news for animals. If passed, this would be the first law in Canada protecting dogs and cats from cruel experiments.
Earlier this year, an Animal Justice exposé revealed that dogs were being experimented on in a secret dog lab at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario. We worked with whistleblowers who shared that dogs were forced to endure lengthy heart attacks and invasive tests before they were ultimately killed and discarded like trash. The scandal was covered on the front page of newspapers across the country.
Public outrage was strong and widespread. In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford publicly condemned experiments on cats and dogs and promised to ban them.
In Canada, over 3.7 million animals were used in laboratory testing in 2024—including about 14,000 cats and dogs.
In Canadian labs, animals often endure painful and distressing conditions. They may be force-fed chemicals, infected with diseases, subjected to invasive surgeries, or confined for long periods in barren cages without the ability to play, socialize, or express natural behaviours. Many experience significant physical pain, fear, and psychological suffering throughout experiments, and most are killed at the end. With no federal laws regulating how animals can be used in research, and almost no oversight of private labs, animals can endure levels of cruelty that would be illegal if inflicted on pets in a home.
This new bill is a promising first step toward protecting cats and dogs in labs. We’re hopeful that this momentum could transform protections for animals across Canada.
Next Steps for Ontario to Protect Cats & Dogs
The new bill promises to ban experiments on cats and dogs, as well as breeding cats and dogs for use in research. Any exceptions for non-harmful or veterinary research may be made by passing regulations in the future. But the details of those future regulations will be important. We’re urging the province to:
- Ban all cruel experiments on cats and dogs
- Require adoption for surviving dogs and cats: Many animals used in research are killed when experiments conclude, even when they could be adopted into loving homes.
- End the practice of “pound seizure” permanently: In Ontario, it’s still legal for experimenters to buy lost or surrendered companion animals from municipal pounds.
Ending Cruel Cosmetic Pet Mutilations
In today’s announcement, Ontario also pledged to work toward ending cruel medically unnecessary procedures that harm dogs and cats, such as declawing, ear-cropping, and tail docking. These mutilations not only cause severe pain, but can lead to long-term complications. As a result they have been banned in a growing number of jurisdictions across Canada and around the world, leaving Ontario as the only Canadian province with no restrictions on cosmetic mutilations.
Show Your Support
Animal testing is not only cruel—it’s also outdated. Today, scientists can study human biology using cutting-edge, animal-free technologies that are more ethical, more accurate, and more relevant to human biology. These humane methods help prevent the suffering of cats and dogs while delivering stronger scientific outcomes.
Ontario has taken an encouraging first step towards ending cruel experiments on dogs and cats, but strong public support is needed to ensure the government follows through. Join us in thanking Premier Doug Ford for this new law, and urge him to pass it quickly.
