HARRISBURG, Pa.— A majority of Pennsylvania voters polled support the Beagle Bill (SB 381), according to a new poll from Remington Research Group that was commissioned by Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States. Of those surveyed, 80% were in favor of the bill and just 5% opposed.
The bill would establish targeted reforms to animal testing, including a ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, an end to the use of state funds for experiments on dogs and cats where no pain relief is provided, a prohibition on the sale of dogs to research facilities from breeders with critical or repeated violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act and a mandate for potential adoption of dogs and cats after their use in the laboratory. It passed the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously in September 2025 and now awaits action in the House.
“The Beagle Bill reflects the demands of Pennsylvanians for a commonsense response to animal testing and research issues by their lawmakers,” said Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania state director for Humane World for Animals. “This legislation would provide critical protections for animals used in laboratories, and the poll shows strong, statewide support for efforts to ensure that animals are treated more humanely. With unanimous bipartisan approval in the Senate, there is no justification for further delay. We urge House leadership to bring this bill forward without hesitation.”
Key findings from the poll include:
Giving laboratory animals a chance at adoption: 95% support / 3% oppose
The bill would require laboratories to give healthy dogs and cats a chance to be adopted as pets after their use in research has ended, as 17 other states have already done. A large majority of voters polled support this requirement.
Prohibiting taxpayer funding for painful experiments: 84% support / 10% oppose
The Beagle Bill would prevent the use of state taxpayer funds to conduct experiments on dogs and cats where no pain relief is given. An overwhelming 84% of voters polled said they support this provision.
Ending the sale of cosmetics newly tested on animals: 82% support / 8% oppose
Pennsylvania would become the 13th state to ban the sale of cosmetics newly tested on animals if this legislation passes. The provision is backed by 82% of voters surveyed, consistent with a growing national trend endorsed by the cosmetics industry itself.
Transparency and reporting: 88% support / 5% oppose
The bill would require facilities to publicly report the number of animals dogs and cats used in research, how many are adopted and how state funds are spent on animal testing including dogs and cats . Greater transparency is supported by 88% of voters polled.
When asked whether pharmaceutical industry opposition would affect their view of the bill, 58% of respondents said they were more likely to support the Beagle Bill knowing that pharmaceutical companies oppose it despite its minimal impact on their operations. Only 10% said they were less likely to support it.
With overwhelming public support and unanimous bipartisan approval in the Pennsylvania Senate, the Beagle Bill now awaits action in the House where lawmakers have a clear opportunity to advance commonsense protections for animals without further delay.
Methodology
The poll was conducted by Remington Research Group. N=592 registered voters in Pennsylvania, surveyed June 14-17, 2026. Margin of error: +/- 4.0 percentage points
