Respecting this constitutional structure is especially critical in matters of war and foreign policy. Our nation cannot call itself a democracy when Congress, the “people’s branch,” is abdicating its war-making authority to the president while lives are at stake and economies are faltering.
The following editorial was originally published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Sunday, July 5th, 2026 as part of the “Raise Your Hand” column in the Insight section.
By: Kiora Rosario: Kailua High School c/o '26
If you are like most people, you probably think animal testing has already been outlawed. With so many companies marketing their products as “cruelty-free,” it’s easy to assume the practice is a relic of the past.
But the reality is that animal testing remains incredibly common.
Many lab animals are social, intelligent animals that would otherwise be beloved pets, including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, cats, and dogs. According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2025, U.S. research facilities housed or used more than 42,000 dogs, 12,000 cats, and 108,000 rabbits, along with hundreds of thousands of other animals, for a total exceeding 750,000.
The life of a lab animal is agonizing and short. They are subjected to inhumane procedures, such as the Draize test, in which chemicals are applied directly to the eyes of live animals. Those that survive experimentation are frequently killed afterward.
This cruelty dates back to antiquity. Early researchers dissected live animals, believing they lacked intelligence and therefore had no claim to justice. Modern science has since demonstrated that animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain, fear, stress, and even forms of joy.
Yet society continues to draw an arbitrary distinction between animals that live in our homes and those that live in labs.
Proponents of animal testing argue that it advances medical research that benefits humans. However, animals are often poor predictors of human biology. The vast majority of drugs that pass animal testing ultimately fail in human clinical trials, raising serious questions about the reliability of animal models.
Recent technological advances, including human cell cultures and computer models, have proven to be “the same or even better than standard animal models,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
If viable alternatives exist, why does animal testing persist? Historically, agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have required animal testing for many products before they could reach the market.
Many countries have already restricted the practice. The EU banned the sale of cosmetics tested on animals in 2013, while countries including India, Israel, New Zealand, and Norway have adopted significant restrictions.
Even in the U.S., under the current administration, the FDA and EPA are taking steps to reduce or replace their animal-testing requirements. By embracing new methodologies, such as AI-based computational models and human-based lab models, these agencies can help spare the lives of countless animals.
These developments are welcome, but much of the progress so far amounts to promises of future action that may not be upheld by subsequent administrations. In 2019, the EPA set goals to reduce mammal testing by 30% by 2025 and largely eliminate agency-required mammal testing by 2035. The Biden administration later abandoned those targets, only for the current administration to revive them. We need statutory protections that can’t be undone whenever political leadership changes.
Moreover, it is not enough to simply reduce the number of animals used in experiments or limit testing to certain species. Even the NIH, which has acknowledged that some alternative methods outperform traditional animal models, only closed its last beagle laboratory in 2025 while continuing to conduct research on other animals. Animal testing should be permanently outlawed as soon as possible, not just for dogs and other large mammals, but for all animals.
Consumers can help accelerate this transition. Research the brands you support rather than relying solely on marketing claims. Many large cosmetic companies market their products as “cruelty-free,” yet purchase ingredients tested on animals by third parties. Post on social media, organize a peaceful protest, boycott companies, petition, or urge legislators to end animal testing. The hundreds of millions of voiceless animals will thank you.
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