The bill amends the existing law regarding the licensing and regulation of dealers and research facilities that handle dogs and cats for laboratory research purposes. It introduces new definitions, including "attending veterinarian," "suitable for adoption," and outlines the responsibilities of research facilities when a laboratory animal is no longer needed for research. Specifically, the bill mandates that before euthanizing a laboratory animal, research facilities must first offer the animal for adoption to their employees and, if not adopted, to an animal protection shelter. The attending veterinarian must evaluate the animal's suitability for adoption based on specific criteria, and if deemed suitable, the animal must be offered for adoption.

Additionally, the bill establishes a process for written determinations regarding the adoptability of laboratory animals, requiring evaluations by both the attending veterinarian and a designated veterinarian from an animal protection shelter. It also stipulates that both research facilities and animal protection shelters must maintain these written determinations and make them available to the department upon request. The bill includes provisions for written agreements between research facilities and animal protection shelters, as well as between shelters and individuals adopting the animals, acknowledging the risks associated with adopting former laboratory animals.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 287.381, 287.388