Ashley Lednor

Today, the Government announced plans to provide £22 million in funding to support the development of human-specific research methods. The announcement includes £20 million for a new Pre-clinical Translational Models Hub, a commitment made in the Replacing Animals in Science Strategy published in November 2025, alongside up to £2 million for nine additional human-specific research projects, including technologies such as beating heart cells in a dish.

On Monday 13 July, Lee Pitcher MP called on the Government to move much faster in phasing out animal testing and highlighted the urgent need for a clear long-term plan, such as Herbie’s Law.

In June 2026, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Phasing Out Animal Experiments in Medical Research held its first evidence session in Parliament, bringing together leading experts in human-specific science to discuss the Government’s strategy on animals in science and the transition away from animal experiments. 

On Monday evening, Members of Parliament debated an e-petition calling for an end to the use of dogs in scientific and regulatory procedures. The debate brought together 29 MPs from across different political parties and reflected growing concern about the continued use of animals in medical research, with Herbie’s Law repeatedly highlighted by MPs as the way forward. 

On Tuesday afternoon in Parliament, 43 Members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords attended our drop-in event to learn more about animal-free science and our campaign for Herbie’s Law.  

We are shocked and saddened by the footage shown in the investigation, which exposes the suffering of animals including dogs and monkeys inside British laboratories. What makes these harrowing scenes especially difficult to confront is that they don’t represent incidents of lawbreaking, but rather standard experiments that are routinely licensed by the Government.