Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is urging Michigan lawmakers to put an end to painful, publicly funded experiments on dogs.

Earlier this week, LaPorta and his wife, Callie, sent a letter to legislative leaders in Lansing supporting a bipartisan proposal that would block state-run institutions from conducting research that harms, traumatizes, or kills dogs. Their message, addressed to House Speaker Matt Hall (R–Richland Township) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D–Grand Rapids), called the effort both urgent and widely supported.

“As dog lovers who’ve been welcomed warmly by the people of Michigan, we felt compelled to speak up,” they wrote. “Queenie’s Law (HB 4254 and SB 127) would put a stop to painful dog experiments at public institutions. We were stunned to learn these practices still occur here — and that taxpayer dollars pay for them.”

LaPorta, originally from Illinois and now an essential part of Detroit’s offense, and his wife share their home with a rescue dog named Bonnie. They say she’s no different from the dogs being used in laboratories across the state.

The legislation they referenced was introduced in response to decades-long studies at Wayne State University. According to the bills’ sponsors, Sen. Paul Wojno (D–Warren) and Rep. Joe Aragona (R–Clinton Township), the university has for years carried out federally funded experiments in which dogs undergo repeated invasive surgeries. Devices are implanted near arteries and inside the heart.

Surviving dogs are then made to run on treadmills while those devices trigger heart failure — a description Wayne State disputes, claiming the animals aren’t forced to run.

Lawmakers say these experiments stretch back to 1991. Their claims are based on documents obtained by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit medical ethics group.

The bills are known as “Queenie’s Law,” named after a dog killed by Wayne State in 2010 after seven months of experimentation, according to the group.

“Michigan’s dogs are lucky to have Sam and Callie advocating for them,” said Ryan Merkley, who leads research advocacy at the Physicians Committee. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for painful studies that lead nowhere.”

The House version of the bill cleared committee unanimously on Oct. 30 and now awaits a vote. The Senate bill has not yet been given a hearing.

Wayne State’s Dr. Michael Bradley, who oversees the dog research, defended the work, arguing that it has played a major role in improving treatments for congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. He says decades of studies have produced valid scientific discoveries and published results.

But critics, including the LaPortas, point to a growing national shift away from using dogs in research. Some leading institutions — such as the Texas Heart Institute — no longer view canine physiology as a strong match for human cardiac conditions. Experts like Dr. Paul Locke of Johns Hopkins University testified that phasing out painful dog experiments will push innovation forward through technologies like AI modeling and organs-on-chips.

Former research veterinarian Sally Christopher reviewed veterinary records from dogs used at Wayne State. She shared the story of “Dog 3003,” a male beagle who, according to records, may have spent the final 18 months of his life alone in a windowless basement enclosure. Between late 2023 and early 2024, he reportedly had only 190 minutes of playtime.

Later in the spring, Dog 3003 underwent two surgeries in which staff implanted a pacemaker designed to elevate his heart rate to two or three times normal levels. Christopher described the ongoing, daily discomfort that would cause.

In August, the dog underwent a third surgery, which involved inserting a catheter around his spinal cord. Records indicate he experienced pain, could no longer stand on his hind legs, and vocalized distress for hours. Staff euthanized him that evening after he showed signs of self-trauma, which can occur when animals are in severe pain.

Under the proposed law, public institutions could not use dogs in experiments that cause pain, fear, injury, trauma, or death. Any invasive procedure — including surgeries, device implantation, or the use of experimental drugs — would be prohibited unless it is part of veterinary treatment for a dog’s existing condition and the owner formally consents.

Routine veterinary procedures such as spaying, neutering, or clinical training exercises that do not cause distress would still be allowed.

Facilities violating the law would face fines of $1,000 to $5,000 per dog, per day of the violation.

Michigan State University and the University of Michigan both oppose the bills. A similar effort was introduced last legislative session but did not pass.