Some of the marchers on Market Street last weekend had four legs. Animal advocates, joined by dogs including rescued beagles (some of them survivors of laboratory testing), gathered at San Francisco's United Nations Plaza to call on Congress to pass the COMPACT Act, H.R. 10522.
What the bill would do
The bipartisan bill would end federal funding for experiments on live dogs and cats, and organizers say it would also protect animals already in research facilities and open adoption paths for them. Humane World for Animals and its advocacy arm have endorsed it.
The march
According to Indybay's photo report, the event was organized by the Berkeley-based animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere. Speakers at the Simón Bolívar statue on UN Plaza included Sherri Franklin, founder of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, and Rebekah Robinson, political director of Save the Dogs. The group then stopped at the Seventh Street Federal Building to urge House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to support the bill before continuing up Market Street. DxE put the crowd at more than 70 people.
Why beagles
Beagles are the breed most often used in laboratory research because of their size and gentle temperament, which is why rescued lab beagles have become a symbol for campaigns like this one. If you're thinking about adopting a former research dog, Bay Area shelters and rescues sometimes place them; ask about their history, since many have never lived in a home or climbed stairs.