Trump administration proposes new animal welfare standards

The Trump administration has announced updates to animal welfare standards, a move described by officials as a “new era of animal welfare.” The initiatives include plans by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update the Animal Welfare Act and a new rule from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA rule, issued on September 21, allows drugmakers the option to use non-animal methods to assess the safety of drugs and biologics before human trials. This change, which includes updating regulatory language from “animal tests” to “nonclinical tests,” is scheduled to take effect on February 4, 2027. Advocates, such as Sara Amundson of the Humane World Action Fund, have called the shift a “historic milestone” in reducing reliance on animal testing.

However, critics note that these updates primarily focus on companion animals and those used in research. The proposed changes do not include livestock such as cows, pigs, or chickens, which represent the largest populations of animals cared for by humans in the United States.