Several members of the Detroit Lions organization are calling on Michigan lawmakers to advance legislation that would end painful experiments on dogs at publicly funded institutions, citing ethical concerns and a lack of scientific benefit.

Tight end Brock Wright and his fiancée, Carley Johnston, have formally urged Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and House Speaker Matt Hall to move forward with a proposed ban on canine testing. Their appeal adds to a growing coalition that already includes Wright’s teammate Sam LaPorta, as well as prominent figures with Michigan ties.

In their letter, Wright and Johnston emphasized that support for the legislation extends beyond the LaPorta family and reflects broader concern within the Lions community. The correspondence was shared publicly by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit organization that promotes medical ethics and is backing the bills.

Additional pressure came from actor and filmmaker Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint Eastwood, who sent her own letter to state leaders encouraging them to advance the proposal, according to the group.

The legislation, collectively referred to as Queenie’s Law, would prohibit state-funded entities, including public universities, from conducting research or training on dogs in ways that cause pain or psychological distress.

The House version of the measure, HB 4254, was introduced by Rep. Joe Aragona of Clinton Township, while the Senate companion bill, SB 127, was sponsored by Sen. Paul Wojno of Warren.

Advocates argue the bills are necessary because Michigan tax dollars are being used to support invasive dog experiments that they say have yielded little to no benefit. Much of the criticism has focused on Wayne State University, where canine research has been conducted for decades. Earlier this year, billboards in Lansing and Detroit renewed public attention to the issue, questioning the value of millions of dollars spent on such studies.

According to the Physicians Committee, the National Institutes of Health has provided roughly $15 million in funding since the early 1990s for dog-based research at Wayne State. The organization contends that the experiments have not led to meaningful medical advances. Public records cited by critics describe procedures in which dogs undergo open-chest surgeries, have medical devices implanted in their hearts, and are later pushed into heart failure while being monitored during treadmill tests. The animals reportedly do not survive the studies.

In their letter, Wright and Johnston expressed disbelief that such experiments continue in public institutions, stating that modern research methods make them unnecessary. They argued that advancements in human-centered science eliminate any justification for harming dogs in the name of public health.

Ryan Merkley, who directs research advocacy for the Physicians Committee, said the involvement of Wright and Johnston strengthens what he described as a bipartisan, practical effort to modernize research practices.

He added that taxpayers should not be compelled to fund research that causes suffering while offering little scientific return.

The Physicians Committee collaborated with Happy Paws Haven, an animal rescue organization based in Royal Oak, to coordinate Wright and Johnston’s involvement.

Their advocacy follows earlier efforts by Sam LaPorta and his wife, Callie, who voiced their support for the legislation last fall. The proposal has also gained backing from actors Lily Tomlin and Ernie Hudson, both of whom have participated in advertisements and outreach to lawmakers.

The House bill has already advanced through the Regulatory Reform Committee with unanimous support and now awaits further consideration in the House Rules Committee. The Senate version, however, has not yet moved out of committee.

Opponents of the legislation, including some research institutions and business groups, argue that banning animal testing could undermine biomedical innovation and weaken Michigan’s standing in medical research.

Supporters counter that the scientific community is already shifting away from dog experiments. They point to recent actions such as the National Institutes of Health closing its last internal beagle laboratory in 2025, the U.S. Navy ending the use of dogs and cats in research, and a federal ban on painful testing of dogs and cats included in the 2024 defense authorization bill signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Advocates also highlight alternative research methods they say are proving more effective, including clinical trials, organoid technology, population-based studies, and the use of donated human organs. They often reference the Texas Heart Institute’s decision to stop using dogs in 2015 and note Michigan-based innovations such as a working human heart model developed at Michigan State University.

The legislation is named after Queenie, a stray dog from Gratiot County that supporters say endured months of heart failure experiments at Wayne State University before being euthanized.

For Wright and Johnston, the issue goes beyond policy. They argue that if dogs are considered family members in Michigan households, they should not be subjected to suffering in publicly funded laboratories.