In a colorful display of advocacy, PETA’s mouse mascot made a notable appearance at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, carrying a powerful message: “Save Me and $22 Billion: End Animal Experiments!” The mouse, a symbol of PETA’s campaign against animal testing, drew significant attention to a critical issue affecting millions of animals and taxpayer dollars.
A Symbol of Protest and Advocacy
The mouse mascot’s presence at the convention wasn’t a one-off event. Earlier in June, it had also appeared at the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle in Atlanta, highlighting PETA’s ongoing efforts to influence national policy and public opinion. The mascot’s mission is to spotlight what PETA argues is the wasteful spending by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on animal experiments.
The Case Against Animal Experiments
PETA’s critique is centered on the NIH’s allocation of nearly half its annual budget to animal testing. The organization contends that this approach is not only ethically problematic but also scientifically flawed. According to PETA, 90% of basic research involving animals fails to lead to effective treatments for humans, and a staggering 95% of new drugs that pass animal testing fail in human clinical trials. These failures can lead to serious side effects, including anaphylaxis and even death.
The argument against animal testing is based on the assertion that the current system wastes public funds and resources on experiments that often provide little benefit. PETA claims that this system disproportionately benefits the grantees rather than advancing meaningful scientific progress or delivering practical treatments.
Support for the Research Modernization Deal
In light of these concerns, PETA is championing the Research Modernization Deal, a proposal that seeks to shift funding away from outdated animal experiments and towards more advanced, non-animal research methods. The deal aims to redirect taxpayer money to innovative research techniques that could potentially offer more relevant and humane results.
PETA urges all political candidates and officials to endorse this initiative and advocate for the reallocation of funds towards cutting-edge research that could deliver genuine medical breakthroughs for humans without the ethical issues associated with animal testing.
Earlier this summer, PETA’s mouse crashed the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
In June, our mouse mascot attended the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle in Atlanta.
PETA’s mouse supports ending wasteful spending by the National Institutes of Health.
This agency squanders nearly half its annual budget on animal experiments—even though 90% of basic research, most of which involves animals, fails to lead to effective treatments for humans and 95% of new drugs that test safe and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials, sometimes causing serious side effects such as anaphylaxis or even death.
The National Institutes of Health throws away public funds to prop up a broken system that wastes critical time and money harming animals in worthless experiments that benefit only the grantees.
Support PETA’s Research Modernization Deal & Call to Action
Experiments on animals have continued for decades with little oversight and no human-relevant results.
We urge all candidates and officials to support redirecting taxpayer funds to cutting-edge, non-animal research that could actually yield treatments and cures for humans.
U.S. Residents: Take Action Now!
Not in the United States? Please take action for animals in laboratories below:
Help End Experiments on Animals
PETA is mobilizing U.S. residents to take action in support of the Research Modernization Deal. The organization is encouraging people to voice their support for ending animal experiments and to advocate for more humane and scientifically relevant research methods.
For those outside the United States, PETA also offers avenues for taking action on behalf of animals in laboratories. International supporters can contribute to the movement by engaging with PETA’s campaigns and promoting alternatives to animal testing.
PETA’s mouse mascot at the 2024 Democratic National Convention served as a vibrant and impactful reminder of the need to reassess and reform animal testing practices. With its message of “Save Me and $22 Billion: End Animal Experiments,” the mascot is not only a symbol of protest but also a call for a paradigm shift in scientific research. As the debate over animal testing continues, PETA’s efforts highlight the urgent need for change and the potential for more ethical and effective research methodologies.