Cruelty Exposed with Ellie Hansen

The Counter

Laboratory experimentation on dogs has a long history, dating back to the 1800s, and beagles have become the predominant breed used due to their size and gentle temperament. As methods for scientific research developed and improved, it became clear that dog experimentation is no longer necessary for human life, as animals and humans are genetically different, and the failure rate of drugs tested on animals is high. In 1998, the U.S. Congress began working on bills to overturn the outdated 1938 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) law requiring animal testing for certain drugs and products. In December of 2022, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Biden signed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 into law.

This bill authorizes the use of certain alternatives to animal testing, including cell-based assays and computer models, to obtain an exemption from the FDA to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a drug.

The bill also removes a requirement to use animal studies as part of the process to obtain a license for a biological product that is biosimilar or interchangeable with another biological product.

Even with this knowledge and changes in laws, some research labs are still using canines and other animals for cruel experiments that science has shown do not benefit humans.

Ellie Hansen, an animal rights activist, and an award-winning writer joins us at The Counter to talk about why research laboratories are still using dogs to test for cosmetics and other products designed for humans and how she and her husband are working to end this cruel practice.

We invite you to listen and learn how you can help to make America more just for all of us, including animals.

Trigger Warning: The descriptions used in this conversation are mild compared to what the dogs experience. However, some may find the information distressing.

To learn more about Dog Research Exposed, please visit their website at dogresearchexposed.com.

To learn more about The Counter, please visit our website at thecounterpac.com.

For more information on the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, see the following:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/5002

https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(23)00254-1/fulltext

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10617761/

https://cn-bio.com/us-fda-modernization-act-2-what-does-it-mean/

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148529799/fda-animal-testing-pharmaceuticals-drug-development

https://centerforahumaneeconomy.org/2024/02/06/fda-required-to-implement-animal-testing-reforms

https://www.science.org/content/resource/new-path-new-drugs-finding-alternatives-to-animal-testing

Host: Penny Ronning Writer: Penny Ronning Producers: Penny Ronning, Ty Lowe Editor: Ty Lowe Sound Designer/Engineer: Ty Lowe Music: Ty Lowe, Konstantin Klimov Intro Vocals: Roy Pack Graphic Design: Penny Ronning, Ty Lowe Website: Ty Lowe

Social Media: Emma Trunkle

Ellie Hansen Bio

Ellie Hansen is an award-winning writer and animal rights activist. She holds a B.A. degree in Mass Communications and Public Relations from Bloomsburg University. Ellie’s published works include two books and magazine articles focusing on profound human relationships with dogs.

In 2015, Ellie adopted two beagles who were used for much of their lives for pharmaceutical research in undisclosed U.S. laboratories. Both dogs were severely traumatized and needed extensive rehabilitation to acclimatize to their new lives outside the laboratory. Witnessing their resilience and uncovering the facts about dogs used for research inspired Ellie to write her second book Laboratory Dogs Rescued: From Test Subjects to Beloved Companions (2021, McFarland & Company Inc. Publishers).

Ellie is currently the producer and host of the Dog Research Exposed Podcast dedicated to disseminating information related to ending this cruel and outdated practice of using dogs in chemical and biomedical research worldwide. In early 2024 she embarked on a national tour with Dog Research Exposed to personally deliver signed petitions to facilities still using dogs for experiments. As of August 2024, Hansen has visited over 20 research facilities in 13 states and driven over 13,000 miles. Hansen also successfully planned and orchestrated the first-ever protest at Marshall Farms in New York State—the largest factory farm breeder of beagles and other animals for experimentation in the U.S.

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