#TBT: Lyndon Johnson Passes The First Animal Welfare Legislation

     On August 24th, 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Animal Welfare Act, a landmark piece of animal welfare legislation. Governing the treatment of all warm-blooded animals, this act requires research labs to receive federal licensing and inspection and sets standards of care for the animals used as subjects. All acts regarding lab animal welfare since then have been amendments to the Animal Welfare Act. While the act was far from complete and comprehensive, it launched the mainstream movement against testing and changed the legislative debate on animal welfare forever.