In brief
The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) is offering employees at its North Carolina campus the chance to adopt lab rats and zebra fish as the agency cuts down on animal testing. This program allows staff to provide homes for about 20,000 animals, as the agency seeks to repurpose its research efforts and comply with budget cuts.
Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (E.P.A.) facility in North Carolina are taking steps to help some furry and finned friends find new homes. As the agency reduces its animal testing of chemicals due to significant funding cuts under the previous administration, staff members are now given the opportunity to adopt lab rats and zebra fish.These animals have been integral in testing chemical toxicity for years. However, the E.P.A. is shutting down its research arm, resulting in the need to rehome these creatures. An adoption initiative has been organized at the agency’s Research Triangle Park facility, with signs like “Adopt love. Save a life” motivating employees to participate in the program, according to sources familiar with the situation.The acting assistant administrator of the E.P.A. Office of Research and Development, Maureen R. Gwinn, confirmed via an email that the adoption program has begun. Currently, the program is accepting applications, although the agency is temporarily evaluating its adoption criteria.Reportedly, the E.P.A. manages around 20,000 animals at its facility, predominantly fish or fish larvae. Recently, two rabbits that previously resided on the North Carolina campus were adopted, displaying employees’ willingness to take on this unique responsibility as the agency transitions away from traditional testing practices.
