AFTER Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Susan Collins
Introduced
Summary
Requires retirement and placement of federal research animals with rescues, sanctuaries, shelters, or adopters. It would set definitions and standards for who may receive retired animals and require agencies to adopt regulations within 90 days to guide those placements.
Show full summary
- Federal research facilities would have to follow Secretary-issued standards and promulgate rules within 90 days that promote adoption or placement with rescues, sanctuaries, shelters, or caring individuals. Regulations must encourage working with nonprofit organizations and consider placements beyond the facility's immediate area.
- Nonprofit animal rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and shelters would be recognized as eligible placement partners under defined terms. Sanctuaries must provide lifetime care, not breed or engage in commercial trade, and must limit public contact.
- Nonhuman primates would be directed to placement with animal sanctuaries rather than general adopters. Covered animals must be evaluated by a licensed veterinarian and found mentally and physically healthy to be "suitable for retirement."
- State and local laws that are more stringent would remain in force and existing chimpanzee sanctuary systems under the Public Health Service Act would be preserved.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New rules to retire research animals
If enacted, this bill would set federal rules for retiring animals used in research. It would define rescue groups, sanctuaries, and shelters and say which animals count as "covered animals." Rats (Rattus) and mice (Mus) would be excluded. A licensed veterinarian would have to find an animal "suitable for retirement." Federal agencies that run labs or exhibits would have to follow the Secretary's animal welfare standards. Agencies would have 90 days after enactment to write rules to help place retired research animals. The rules would promote placement with rescues, sanctuaries, shelters, or people who will keep them as pets. Nonhuman primates would be placed with a sanctuary. Agencies would have to work with nonprofit partners and consider placing animals beyond the local area. The bill would not override stricter state or local animal-welfare laws and would protect placement of research chimpanzees into the existing Public Health Service sanctuary system.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Susan Collins
ME • R
Cosponsors
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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