Sen. Paul Wojno (D-Warren) introduced the “Queenie’s Law” bill on March 5 to prohibit canine experiments at publicly-funded institutions in Michigan.

A companion bill was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives by Rep. Joe Aragona (R-Clinton Township).

“This legislation is in response to studies using dogs that have been conducted at Wayne State University for many years,” Wojno said, adding this is a re-introduction of a bill that had bi-partisan support last year but did not advance through the legislature.

“The Texas Heart Institute used to do these same experiments and stopped because they felt there was no benefit,” said Wojno. “When you see other institutions saying that this testing is not beneficial, it is time to stop funding them.”

According to a statement from Wojno, public records reveal Wayne State University has conducted experiments since 1991, during which university employees cut open dogs’ chest cavities, insert wires and catheters into the animals’ hearts, and implant medical devices in and around their arteries.

Dogs that survive the surgeries are forced to run on treadmills while the implanted devices trigger heart failure.

“They feed the dogs a very high-fat diet so they can make them a candidate for heart attack or stroke,” said Wojno. “This bill is named after Queenie, who was a stray that was used for testing at Wayne State and died after being used in these experiments for seven months.

“We need to stop these taxpayer-funded experiments at Wayne State.”

Wojno is a WSU alum and said he is definitely not anti-science. He believes the studies using dogs have become obsolete and that there are better ways of conducting research that will ultimately help people suffering from cardiovascular disease.

“Michiganders deserve better from our public research institutions,” said Wojno. “This bill would ensure that their taxpayer dollars are used to advance human health, not to harm and kill defenseless animals.”

Wojno said a Freedom of Information Act request revealed $15 million in public funds has been spent on these experiments over the past three decades.

In 2023, Wayne State University issued a statement regarding the use of dogs for testing stating that the research is aimed at developing new strategies for the treatment of congestive heart failure and hypertension. It went on to say “Wayne State University is committed to the responsible and ethical use of animals in research, and also recognizes the benefits of research involving animals.”

According to the physicians committee, patient trials, population studies and the use of donated and diseased human hearts have provided the most helpful scientific results.

“It is shameful that a public institution is inflicting pain on man’s best friend while wasting millions of taxpayer dollars,” said Ryan Merkley, director of research advocacy for the physicians committee.

Experiments with animals are routinely grouped into three categories — one in which the animals do not experience pain and two in which pain is expected. Queenie’s Law only prohibits painful experiments on dogs when conducted at a “public body.”

The bill has been sent to the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee for further deliberation.

“Some might feel like this might not be a top priority, but in conjunction with everything else I think it is important,” said Wojno.