What is the Laboratory Animal Care Audit (LACA)?
The Laboratory Animal Care Audit is a comprehensive report exposing widespread violations of animal care standards in research laboratories across the United States. The first-of-its-kind report from NAVS provides a detailed, fact-based analysis of compliance failures, revealing the harsh realities faced by animals in research environments. The inaugural LACA was published in October 2024, detailing violations from 2023, and now you can read the latest report that exposes violations from 2024. NAVS aims to make this critical data easily accessible, empowering the public, policymakers, and stakeholders to make informed decisions about lab animal welfare.
Significant Findings
- The report details violations found at 78 laboratories that use animals in 32 states and the District of Columbia.
- Four of the 78 facilities (5%) detailed in the report were issued a fine for 2024 violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
- 29 of the 78 (37%) are repeat offenders that also appeared in our 2024 LACA.
Report Highlights:
- Neglect of Basic Veterinary Standards: Facilities were cited for issues like expired medications, lack of veterinary oversight, and failure to provide post-operative care—demonstrating a breakdown in basic animal welfare protocols.
- Painful Procedures Without Relief: Thousands of animals—including primates, pigs, hamsters, and rabbits—endured painful procedures without relief, highlighting a continued reliance on invasive experiments.
- Environmental and Housing Deficiencies: Dirty cages, broken equipment, and unsafe enclosures were common findings. These failures endanger animals and reflect poorly on the quality of research being conducted.
