Several celebrities, politicians, scientists, veterinarians and animal welfare organisations have raised concerns over the proposed Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Control and Supervision of Experiment, Breeding and Trading of Laboratory Animals) Rules, 2026, with more than 18,000 people signing a petition seeking its withdrawal, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
Actors John Abraham, Tabu, Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon, Shilpa Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandez, Dia Mirza, Rupali Ganguly and Wamiqa Gabbi, among others, have signed the petition, while cricketer K.L.
Rahul has also endorsed the appeal, PETA India said in a statement.
Several parliamentarians across political parties, including Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini, Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo, Lok Sabha MP Dr Mohammad Jawed and former Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury, have also signed the appeal, it added. “India has already demonstrated remarkable leadership in advancing non-animal science, and that is something every Indian can be proud of. The appeal has also received support from more than 100 Indian and international scientists, over 100 veterinarians and more than 60 animal protection organisations, while over 18,000 people have signed a petition through PETA India’s website, the statement said. The proposal seeks to replace the Breeding of and Experiments on Animals (Control and Supervision) Rules, 1998. It has invited objections and suggestions till November 5. India has taken several steps towards replacing animal testing, including prohibiting animal testing for cosmetics in 2014 and recognising scientifically advanced, human-relevant testing methods through the New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules, 2023, the organisation said.
The draft rules actively strengthen animal welfare and ethical accountability while modernising scientific research, according to the Government. We must build on this progress, not move backward,” PETA India’s science and research policy advisor Dr Noopur Jain said.
