Animal Research Facilities in the United States
Many people are under the impression that animal research and testing happens “somewhere else.” To find out about animal research in your state— much of which is funded by federal tax dollars—review our interactive map.
For details on how the information for this map was compiled and what the numbers include, see Map FAQs below.
Map FAQs
What does each location represent?
What information on animals is provided?
Why do some institutions have no animals listed?
What does each location represent?
This map is based on the name and location of the headquarters of each institution registered as a research facility with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The map indicates the year for which the information was reported.
Animal species and numbers provided for each location are based on what was reported to the USDA under the headquarters name/location and registration number. Sometimes, however, institutions have multiple branches or additional locations (including in other states), and these are not represented on the map. For more details about a particular institution, please visit the USDA website at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/7023.html.
What information on animals is provided?
The animals included in the map represent all information provided to the USDA by the research facilities. Research institutions are required to report information on species covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) only. The AWA covers only warm-blooded animals, but not birds, mice and rats bred for research and testing purposes.
In cases where an institution voluntarily reported the use of animals not covered by the AWA, those numbers are listed. In most cases, we cannot determine how many animals not covered by the AWA are being used. Livestock used in research to increase production (not for human benefit) do not have to be reported by facilities. However if the institution listed these animals voluntarily, the numbers are included.
The number of animals listed for each facility includes only those who were actually "used" in research, teaching or testing for that year. Animals kept at the facility, but not used for research, (such as animals kept for breeding purposes) are not included.
Why do some institutions have no animals listed?
If the number of animals listed under a given facility name is zero, there were no AWA-covered animals reported in the most recent year for which data was available. However there still could have been covered animals housed or bred there or animals used who were not covered by the AWA.
If the number of animals is blank, we do not have the data for that facility, either because we do not yet have access to the annual report to the USDA or because the facility is new and has not yet produced its first report.
