Animal rights advocacy day highlights Bizzarro’s beagle bills
Beagle Freedom Bills would protect animals from cruel testing
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro May 6, 2025 | 1:57 PM
HARRISBURG, May 6 – Two- and four-legged advocates of legislation to protect animals from being used for research in animal testing laboratories descended on the Capitol building Tuesday to raise awareness of these cruel practices and push to end them in Pennsylvania.
House Majority Policy Chairman Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie), along with state Reps. Jeanne McNeill (D-Lehigh) and Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester), have introduced a package of legislation called the Beagle Freedom Bills. These bills would prohibit the import and sale from kennels and dealers with multiple Animal Welfare Act citations, extend whistleblower protections to people who report animal welfare violations, and require dogs and cats used as research subjects to be offered up for adoption.
This legislative package builds on the efforts made by the Virginia Legislature to strengthen animal cruelty laws in that state after 4,000 beagles were saved from horrific conditions at a research lab in Virginia.
“When I found out about the horrors happening in Virginia with beagles being tortured for testing, I was sick. They were used and abused and disposed of, but while it was inhumane, it was not in vain. Their suffering pushed us all to act,” said Bizzarro. “It’s Pennsylvania’s time to make sure the same cruel fate does not happen to pets bred for research here at home. They are family, and their devotion should be repaid with protection. This legislation will help ensure our animals are treated with dignity like they deserve.”
Animal rights advocates from across the state joined Bizzarro and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to rally for this legislation Tuesday morning in the Capitol Media Center. The event featured rescued Beagles from Virginia and a variety of local SPCAs and other animal shelters from across the state, including the ANNA Shelter in Erie.
“I’m so thankful for all the advocates coming together to support this effort, hopefully we can finally end these cruel practices. When I first read about what they were doing to these dogs, and then holding these dogs on my lap, it was devastating. It’s well past time to put an end to all of this,” said Ruth Thompson, Founder and Director of the ANNA Shelter. “I especially want to thank Rep. Bizzarro for his work. He’s not just a great friend to our shelter, but to all animals across Pennsylvania.
Following the animal cruelty incident in Virginia, the ANNA Shelter took on 50 of the rescued Beagles and found homes for each one of them. Additionally, the shelter has partnered with Bizzarro for Ryan’s Rescues Program, which covers the fees associated with adoption for veterans.
Bizzarro has been a long-time animal rights advocate, constantly sponsoring legislation to strengthen animal-cruelty laws. He was an author of Libre’s Law in 2017, which updated Pennsylvania’s cruelty statute and placed limitations on the tethering of dogs outside.
Each of the “Beagle Freedom Bills” have been referred to the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for further consideration.