Pepper Goes Missing: A Defining Event for the Animal Welfare Act
 Dalmatian Ch. Rugby Britannia, Bred by Mrs. Hebe Bedwell from "The complete book of the dog" (1922). Courtesy of University of British Columbia Library, image by Tom Reveley.
Did you know? This month marks 61 years since the disappearance of Pepper, a pet Dalmatian, which sparked the creation of the Animal Welfare Act.
In June 1965, Pepper was stolen from the Lakavage family’s Pennsylvania farm and later sold to a research facility in New York City. The public's concern around Pepper’s theft and eventual death prompted U.S. House Representative Joseph Resnick (D‑NY) to introduce a groundbreaking "Laboratory Animal Welfare bill". This legislation was an early and pivotal step toward what we now know as the Animal Welfare Act (Public Law 89‑544).
To learn more about Pepper's story and the history of the Animal Welfare Act, visit the Animal Welfare Act Interactive Timeline that's maintained by the National Agricultural Library's Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC).
Trainings and Conferences
Self-paced and available year-round
November 2, 4, 10, & 11, 2026
Check out AWIC's 3Rs webpage for 3Rs and animal welfare related funding opportunities!
 |
|
Stay plugged in to AWIC updates!
|
|
