Animals-First Research Approach

Scientific research has depended on animals for centuries, but little research exists to benefit animals themselves.

The results of animal studies in laboratories — frequently used to investigate human diseases — are often irrelevant to health issues facing pets and other animals living in our world. To shine a brighter spotlight on the specific needs of animals, the Institute supports research programs and rigorous protocols that mirror those used to investigate human illnesses. That includes starting with the fact that subjects should never face harm from the studies in which they participate.

Using this approach, Institute-funded scientists will work to fill the gaps in our knowledge about the causes and potential treatment of illnesses like cancer and other life-threatening diseases in cats, dogs, horses, farm animals, and wildlife. They will examine issues of food safety and quality, and their relation to conditions like obesity and disease. And they are looking at other key trends such as the apparent increase in asthma among animals and the effect of environmental toxins like endocrine disruptors that are affecting animals — and children — worldwide.

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