Newsom Claims RFK Jr. is Receiving Calls from Advocates Telling Him to Stop Funding Animal Testing on Cats

California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly called out Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), the current US Secretary of Health and Human Services, on X, saying animal welfare advocates are calling him to stop government funding of certain cat experiments.

In his post, Newsom mentioned that the volume of calls has become so large that the voicemail linked to his official number was at one point redirected to a Domino's Pizza message.

The campaign, led by the watchdog group White Coat Waste Project (WCW), focuses on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that finance experiments involving cats at the University of Missouri‑Columbia (Mizzou). Advocates say these tests, supported with federal funds, are cruel and unnecessary and have called on RFK Jr.'s department to pull the funding.

WCW Investigation Found NIH Funds Testing on Cats

White Coat Waste Project's campaign has gained traction online and in political circles.

In recent weeks, the group urged supporters to call the Department of Health and Human Services at an official Washington phone number to protest continued NIH funding of cat testing, including at Mizzou.

WCW's social media post specified that concerned members of the public should contact the department to urge an end to such experiments and 'save the four cats' currently held at the university's lab, where they were purchased in October 2025 for testing.

WCW claimed the cats had not yet been subjected to invasive procedures.

Documents and blog posts from White Coat Waste (WCW) say that the University of Missouri‑Columbia is running experiments on cats, funded by NIH grants. These experiments include studies on spinal cord injuries and other health issues affecting cats.

WCW also claims that some of the cats used in these tests were taken from local animal shelters. However, neither WCW nor government agencies have independently confirmed this information.

When activists called RFK Jr.'s office to complain, an unusual situation happened: people trying to reach the office reportedly heard a Domino's Pizza message instead of the official government voicemail. The Department of Health and Human Services later said this was not an official message and that it had been fixed. They also said it did not represent the agency's position on funding decisions.

Animal Testing at Federal Labs

White Coat Waste Project has long campaigned against federally funded animal experiments, citing a range of NIH‑supported research involving dogs and cats that it views as outdated or cruel.

Their work has been mentioned in congressional hearings and media reports to push for alternatives to animal testing.

Advocates say that publicly funded research should use non-animal methods whenever possible. In the past, pressure from watchdog groups has led to funding changes or the closure of some labs that used dogs and cats. Some laws have even been passed to limit funding for research using pets and companion animals, with support from both political parties.

Universities and the NIH argue that animal studies are still important for understanding diseases and developing treatments. They say all experiments follow strict federal guidelines and ethical reviews, with committees checking protocols to reduce suffering and protect the animals' welfare.

Some lawmakers, including Republicans, question ongoing NIH-funded animal studies. At the same time, animal welfare groups say science and humane treatment can go hand in hand.

NIH Animal Testing: Is It Necessary?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds animal testing mainly because scientists still use animals to study diseases and test treatments before trying them on humans. Animals can react to illnesses in ways that are similar to humans, which helps researchers understand how diseases work and whether a drug might be safe.

These studies are often done in controlled lab settings so researchers can isolate specific factors and get reliable results.

However, the NIH has said it is trying to reduce this kind of testing and move toward alternatives like human-based models and new technologies, though animal research is still allowed when scientists argue it is necessary.

For now, WCW is calling on people to contact RFK Jr.'s office in an effort to stop upcoming experiments and save four cats from being used in testing.