COGR Submission to DOT on NABR Complaint

The letter, submitted by the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), expresses concern over discriminatory airline policies that refuse to transport animals intended for biomedical research while permitting transportation for other purposes. Representing 187 major research institutions, COGR emphasizes the critical role that laboratory animals play in federally funded, life-saving biomedical research. The letter argues that many such research efforts, essential for understanding and treating diseases, are undermined when airlines selectively restrict the carriage of research animals without transport-related justification. COGR urges the DOT to investigate the complaint (NABR v. United Airlines et al., Docket No. DOT-OST-2018-0124) and to mandate airlines to adopt consistent, non-discriminatory policies regarding the transportation of laboratory animals. The organization stresses that federal action is necessary to align transportation practices with the nation’s investment in research and to ensure the continued advancement of essential scientific investigations.