Bizzarro applauds passage of Beagle Bill to protect animals from inhumane testing
Bizzarro helped craft language that will strengthen PA’s animal cruelty laws
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro October 19, 2026
HARRISBURG, Oct. 19 – The House unanimously passed legislation Monday afternoon that would impose more restrictions on animal testing and give the animal test subjects a chance at a loving home. This effort started in 2022, when Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie), introduced a package of animal welfare bills in the wake of the horrors uncovered during a federal investigation at a testing facility in Virginia.
While the House unanimously passed the Senate version of the bill Monday, Bizzarro sponsored companion legislation in the House. It would stop the sale of cosmetics that have been newly tested on animals, require testing facilities to offer animals used as research subjects up for adoption, and increase accountability for the research labs themselves. It also cuts off any state funding for research at facilities that don’t follow the law and gives the Attorney General more power to go after violators.
“I’ve been working on this legislation for the past five years, ever since the horrific scene at a research breeding facility in Virginia. All the animals in that case were saved, and while that story had a happy ending, we need to make sure something like this doesn’t happen in Pennsylvania,” Bizzarro said. “A lot of hard work and advocacy went into this legislation that will make sure cats and dogs in animal testing have a chance to find their forever home and we hold bad actors accountable.”
Following the incident in Virginia, the ANNA Shelter in Erie took on 50 of the rescued Beagles and found homes for each one of them. The shelter has also 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.
The legislation has been passed by both the House and Senate and now moves to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.